Post published on 15/01/2020

Packaging Speaks Green: Bologna to host the international forum on sustainable packaging

IMA on the organizing committee of the international congress on sustainability in the packaging chain

The Estates General of sustainable packaging will meet on 20-21 February 2020 in Bologna, the heart of Packaging Valley, under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment.

FICO Eataly World will host the first edition of “Packaging Speaks Green“, an international forum dedicated to developing a culture of sustainability and a circular economy in the packaging sector.

The conference is backed by IMA and other key industrial players (Coesia, Marchesini, Robopac, Sacmi, Tetra Pak) which, in addition to being closely involved in planning this conference, also constitute one of the most competitive advanced mechanics and industrial automation clusters in the world, where the ability to innovate and network has always been a top priority.

A two-day event organized by Ucima – Unione Costruttori Italiani Macchine Automatiche per il confezionamento e l’imballaggio (Italian Association of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machine Manufactures) and Fondazione Fico, which focuses on global trends in materials for sustainable packaging, with a sizeable audience of international guests who will exchange views on three main macro-themes: legislation, retailers and brand owners, materials and technologies.

Regarding legislation and businesses, European, Indian, American, Chinese and Australian institutional representatives will look into the regulatory and consumer framework in each geographical area.

In order to enhance the principle of efficiency in a circular economy, interesting stimuli will come from the debate on technological innovation and compostable and recyclable materials. The emphasis will be not only on the choice of energy sources, but also the use or reuse of resources during the various phases of the production cycle: upstream with sustainable product design in terms of durability, separability of materials, biodegradability, use of renewable resources; downstream with proper waste management. All supported by increasingly digitised productive processes, where each phase is controlled with a view to reducing consumption and waste to a minimum.

There will also be space for the world of research with the universities and research centres involved in new materials and packaging design.

A quality event that promises to be full of stimuli and which intends to provide new tools and methods for the design of sustainable packaging, giving visibility to new emerging opportunities.

The speakers who have confirmed include: Enrico Aureli (UCIMA), Johannes Bergmair (WPO), Sanjay Kr. Chattopadhyay (IIP), Laure Cucuron (TerraCycle Europe), Nicola De Carne (NIELSEN), Clay Dockery (Massimo Zanetti Beverages USA), Enrico Dolce (FATER), Paola Fabbri (UNIBO), Chiara Faenza (Coop), Marco Jansen (Braskem), Nerida Kelton (AIP), Tim Letts (WWF), Cui Lin (CFPMA), Andrew Manly (AIPIA), Alessandro Manzardo (SPINLIFE-UNIPD), Sudhir Mishra (Trust Legal Advocates & Consultants), Håkan Pettersson (BillerudKorsnäs), Joseph Rake (Amazon), Gwendoline Riou (EUROPEN), Paolo Spranzi (McKinsey & Company), Carlos Trubacz (Amcor), Mariagiovanna Vetere (NatureWorks), Marco Versari (Novamont), Silvia Zucconi (NOMISMA).