Greg Lawson answers questions for the Sustainable Business Magazine about his role as Managing Director of packaging sustainability consultancy Aura. Aura was founded on the desire to help businesses develop a holistic sustainable packaging strategy aligned to the operations and ambitions of the client. Aura enables retailers and brands to outshine their competitors in sustainable certification and stay ahead of the ever evolving regulatory landscape.
Could you provide a brief overview of sustainability consultancy Aura and your current role?
Packaging sustainability consultancy Aura was founded in 2022, through a collaboration of the consulting and technology expertise within the Sun Branding Solutions packaging business, along with a burning ambition to change how retailers and brands manage packaging sustainability.
My role was co-founder of the Aura concept and I am now managing director and business leader.
What metrics do you use to develop a sustainable packaging strategy for a company?
There are several key types of metrics and activities that we would undertake to develop a holistic packaging strategy and roadmap for a company:
Brand/organisation aspirations – strategic positioning against competitor set and existing business goals
Market and brand positioning – competitor analysis, client’s desired positioning assessment (e.g. leader, follower, in-the-pack)
Consumer insights – consumer trends in relevant category, behaviour analysis, trade-off assessment; the willingness to pay more based on sustainability metrics
Regulatory and compliance – current & future compliance landscape in affected markets, including EPR/eco-modulation, recycled content, recyclability, restrictions
Structural audit and opportunity assessment – benchmarking of current portfolio against competitors & regulatory standards, SKU portfolio assessment – % sales volume by SKU, complexity, technical feasibility considerations. We assess where there are opportunities for fee mitigation, sustainability improvement or cost savings and build those into the strategy/roadmap.
Circularity, waste hierarchy and end of life – we assess strategic options for circularity: waste hierarchy positioning, closed-loop options, PCR integration potential, recyclability parameters. We then present each option based on investment required & potential benefit.
Operational and commercial – cost impact modelling for available strategic options, assessment of implementation feasibility / complexity
Communications and claims – internal and external communication planning, analysis of potential claims & substantiation requirements
Sustainability KPI assessment/development – assessment of current sustainability targets and/or support in refinement.
These metrics enable Aura to deliver a robust, holistic packaging sustainability strategy with pillars aligned to clients’ operations and ambitions. From this, we create a clear, time-bound roadmap that outlines the key dates and milestones required for successful implementation and compliance.
What key legislation do companies need to be aware of regarding sustainable packaging?
There are several overarching legislative frameworks, including the EU’s PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) and the Environment Act.
Another key factor currently is EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and the significant eco-modulated fees – by country or state – that companies face if their packaging isn’t suitably sustainable.
In addition, there are Deposit Return Schemes, packaging restrictions and bans, Single Use Plastic regulation, and taxes/levies on plastic and/or other packaging. We’re also advising brands and retailers on Substances of Concern/Hazardous Chemicals legislation and mandatory labelling.
The regulatory landscape for packaging is more complex and nuanced than ever. All companies should be aware that legislation varies by country, state or even region, and is evolving at pace.
What sustainability initiatives are in place across your own business?
Aura is ISO 14001 Certified, with key objectives including:
- Reduce water usage
- Reduce WEEE waste that is not recycled by 5% YOY
- Zero kitchen waste to landfill
- Lower trees consumed, CO2 produced & equivalent bulb hours
- Where possible seek to influence the design and specification of packaging solutions to ensure the environmental impact is minimised as far as reasonably possible
- Reduce environmental footprint for sending of parcels.
What future projects or goals do you have planned?
Our goal is to become the global reference point for sustainable packaging – a place where retailers, brand owners and suppliers can come to gain insight and guidance around the challenges we face – along with access to the best software in the packaging industry.
‘Aura delivers a robust, holistic packaging sustainability strategy with pillars aligned to clients’ operations and ambitions. From this, we create a clear, time-bound roadmap that outlines the key dates and milestones required for successful implementation and compliance.’
