Design for recyclability: why it fails in practice (and what companies miss)
Design for recyclability (DfR) has become one of the most widely discussed concepts in sustainable packaging. Brands are redesigning packaging formats, reducing problematic materials, improving recyclability scores, and aligning products with emerging regulatory frameworks. On paper, this appears to be a significant step forward. But there is a problem. A package can be designed for […]
Packaging sustainability claims: why they fail internal approval (and how to fix it)
Packaging sustainability claims should be straightforward. If your product is doing good, you should be able to say it. But inside most organizations, it’s rarely that simple. Marketing wants bold messaging. Sustainability teams want accuracy. Legal wants zero risk. The result is often the same: delays, watered-down claims, or no claims at all. If your […]
Earth Day 2026: The problem isn’t plastic. It’s waiting.
In business sustainability, there’s a quiet assumption that shapes more decisions than we like to admit: that the best solution hasn’t arrived yet. It appears in conversations about next-generation materials, in long-term circularity strategies, and in the belief that given enough time, systems will evolve into something more efficient and sustainable. On the surface, that […]
Global Recycling Day 2026: What will we recycle if nothing is recovered?
We celebrate recycling like it’s a given. We talk about it as a system that simply exists. Something reliable and always there. But here’s the uncomfortable question no one asks: What exactly are we recycling… if nothing is being recovered in the first place? Because recycling doesn’t begin in the bin. It begins in the […]
There is no circular economy without her: The role of women in waste management
At 6am, before most offices switch on their lights, she is already working. If she has gloves, she wears them. If she can afford a mask, she uses one. In front of her is a pile of plastic that doesn’t belong to her – bottles, sachets, food packaging, film. The leftovers of someone else’s convenience. […]
The Global Plastics Treaty is delayed. Plastic isn’t.
Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash The Global Plastics Treaty was expected to establish a shared global framework for addressing plastic pollution and reshaping packaging compliance worldwide. Negotiations are still ongoing. Plastic production and waste generation, however, have not slowed. If your brand is reviewing its packaging strategy in light of emerging regulation, now […]
The business case for purpose: how credible impact drives brand growth, trust, and performance
Let’s get one thing out of the way: business purpose isn’t a brand “nice-to-have” anymore. Not because people suddenly got nicer, but because the market has changed. Consumers now expect brands to carry more of the sustainability load than individuals do. In NielsenIQ’s 2023 sustainability research, 46% of respondents said brands are most responsible for […]
Sustainability is now imposed. Leadership is still a choice.
In 2025, sustainability is no longer an aspirational idea reserved for annual reports or brand manifestos. It has become a structural requirement, embedded in regulation, scrutinised by regulators, and increasingly assessed by consumers who expect evidence, not intention. For brands navigating plastic packaging, EPR compliance, and sustainability commitments, this marks a decisive shift: Regulation has […]
When waste management systems fail, workers pay the price
There is a hard truth at the heart of the global waste management conversation that rarely gets the attention it deserves. When waste systems fail, the consequences are not abstract nor theoretical. They are borne by people by workers whose bodies absorb the risk long before the rest of society feels any disruption. The landfill […]
World Pollution Prevention Day: How high-quality recovery reduces plastic leakage
Prevention begins before pollution exists World Pollution Prevention Day may have passed, but its message is still urgent. Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic escape into our oceans, rivers, and coastlines. Behind every statistic is a real place: a fishing village, a mangrove-lined shore, a child who plays near the water. And while the […]