UK cider maker Thatchers is significantly reducing the company’s use of plastic and has introduced PEFC-certified board for its four and ten-can packs of ciders. Working with WestRock, Thatchers is using certified cardboard for packaging, one more important step in its commitment to the environment. Go to PEFC International for more.
Media Announcement
Monday 31 May 2021
Sustainability in Packaging is all about:
Renewable, Recyclable & Responsibly-Sourced

Recognised as the go-to event for the entire packaging value chain, Smithers’ Sustainability in Packaging Asia conference returns online on 7 to 9 June to once again ignite important discussion around the challenges, opportunities and innovations making waves across the global packaging market.

Attendees to the event will access key learnings around the End Users Progress on Sustainability in Packaging, Regulatory Landscape and Initiatives for Circular Packaging, Designing Packaging for Sustainability, New Technologies & Innovations Facilitating Higher Performance/ Added Value, Innovations in Packaging Materials, and much more.
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification – PEFC – is once again acting as sponsor of the annual event to emphasise the benefits of wood-based fibre packaging.

Ben Gunneberg, the CEO and Secretary General of Geneva-based PEFC International is a keynote speaker on the first day, Monday 7 June, when he will stress that sustainable packaging must be all about “Renewable, Recyclable and Responsibly-Sourced”.

That’s the title of his talk, when he will show that as demand for environmentally-friendly packaging grows, he is seeing a shift from single use plastic to paper products and notes that consumers are calling for brands to take greater responsibility for the environment.

“Because wood is the most available renewable raw material, it stores carbon and is recyclable, it makes it a super sustainable packaging material”, Mr Gunneberg.

He will also be telling the global audience that: “Despite abundant availability of forest resources, it may be hard to fulfil the global demand for forest resources to produce needed products without applying sustainable forest management everywhere and practicing responsible sourcing”.
Other Presentations at the three-day virtual event, include:
  • The importance of brave goals of a brand owner, Ted Bailey, Packaging Sustainability Manager, Asia Pacific at Colgate-Palmolive
  • Regulatory update for food packaging in ASEAN region, Edwin Seah, Head of Sustainability & Communications at Food Industry Asia
  • Loop: A sustainable alternative to disposability and driver of circular economy, Eric Kawabata, APAC General Manager at TerraCycle Japan
  • Sustainable collection for plastic recycling, Xavier Jean, General Manager, Plastics Recycling at Veolia
  • New technologies for chemical recycling, Sreepadaraj Karanam, Director, Sustainability and Circular Economy Strategy, Asia Pacific at SABIC
  • Investing in recycling infrastructure to advance plastic circularity, Karina Cady, Operations and Investment Director at Circulate Capital
  • Uncluttering packaging sustainability & design influence to decision making, Swaminathan SV, Senior Director - Sustainability, Innovation & Packaging Development (APAC) at HAVI
  • To overcome the difficulties of processed food packaging design for sustainability, Olivia Park, Manager of Global Packaging R&D at CJ CheilJedang
  • Sustainable packaging with the full life cycle in mind: Creating fiber-based packaging to protect and preserve the essential products we all rely on, including maintaining food safety, while also minimizing impact on the environment. Quentin Yan, Senior Manager/Director, Asia Pacific Market Development, Consumer Packaging, WestRock.
In addition to three jam-packed conference days, delegates will also be able to benefit from the insightful panel discussions taking place on each day, including:
  • Monday 7 June Panel: How is the regulatory landscape evolving across the world and how can it be more harmonised?
  • Tuesday 8 June Panels: Closing the loop, and Designing for sustainability: A good end needs a great beginning.
  • Wednesday 9 June Panel: Collaborating across the value chain to achieve sustainability goals.
For more information on Sustainability in Packaging Asia and to register your attendance, visit: https://www.sustainability-in-packaging.com/sustainability-in-packaging-asia
Or contact Beatrice Sun | bsun@smithers.com | +86 (0)512 6253 5582
Issued on behalf of Event Sponsor PEFC, plus Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA) and ABC Carbon, Media Partners for Sustainability in Packaging Asia.    
For more on PEFC, please email:

Or go to PEFC International: www.pefc.org