Sustainability in Focus: From Environmentally-friendly Packaging to Responsible Ingredients Sourcing

While saving the planet may not be top of mind for most consumers in the midst of a pandemic, the overwhelming imperative to reduce the food industry’s environmental impact is not going away, and food and beverage companies of all sizes remain under intense pressure to develop more environmentally-friendly packaging and incorporate sustainability into responsible procurement strategies.

Ingredients suppliers in turn say sustainability is moving from a check-the-box exercise to a condition of doing business with key CPG clients, who are now asking detailed questions about where all of their ingredients are coming from, how they are manufactured and distributed, and expect their suppliers to be actively engaged in programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water and energy use.

So what are companies at the cutting edge doing to reduce their environmental impact, and what creative solutions are available to reduce the amount of packaging going into landfill?