2023 Event Agenda

List Grid View

Monday, April 24 Tuesday, April 25 Wednesday, April 26 Thursday, April 27 Tours Evening Socials

Download Program PDF

Monday, April 24

Monday, April 24

10:00 am - 4:00 pm (CDT)

Registration

Registration and Check-in Open

Registration Desk Level 2
Monday, April 24

10:00 am - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Tour, Cooking Class and Lunch

Wicked Kitchen

Offsite Tour Location

Wicked Kitchen is is on a mission to unleash the mighty power of plants! Crave-able, flavor-first, sustainable foods that are better for you and the planet! Plant-based food for meat-eaters and vegans alike. SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to tour the Wicked Kitchen location at The Yard, hear more about their story and mission, and take in a cooking class led by Chef and Co-Founder of Wicked, Chad Sarno. Chef Sarno will discuss how mushrooms are the sustainable food of the future. Participants will get a hands-on demonstration of various techniques that transform mushrooms into meat by Chad and his team of chefs. Following the class, guests will sit down to enjoy a delicious plant-based lunch featuring local Hi-Fi Mycology mushrooms prepared from the class. Transportation will be provided. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

10:30 am - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Wellness

Climbing Session at Austin Bouldering Project

Austin Bouldering Project

Austin Bouldering Project is the world’s largest indoor rock climbing facility. This 2 hour class is intended for those just starting out or looking to improve their basic climbing technique. The goal of the class is to teach you about efficient footwork, climbing vocabulary, and route reading skills. Attendees will leave with the potential to practice new techniques on their own to improve their climbing abilities.
To request an invitation to sign up, please email spcevents@greenblue.org. Limited availability.
Monday, April 24

1:15 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #1)

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact attendees will get to experience this new Gold LEED certified soccer venue, home of the Austin FC Soccer Team. From Gensler’s state-of-the-art design down to the hand-painted concourse murals and everything in between, this tour provides guests a behind-the-scenes look at this soccer and entertainment venue. You’ll learn the history of the MLS’ 27th franchise and first major league team in Austin, TX. From the supporters’ stands to the locker room, you’ll see every inch of Q2 Stadium. Special thanks to SPC Member YETI who helped make this tour happen. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Recycled Material Standard: Introducing The RMS Participant Toolkit

Classroom 103

The RMS is the most comprehensive third-party, chain of custody certification available for recycled materials. With many options allowed by the standard (e.g. average content claims, mass balance and ARCs) we’ve found that some companies are not quite sure where to start or what to expect during an audit. The standard also has some unique requirements related to defining product groups, due diligence and the overall management system. During this workshop we will share a compilation of materials designed to help supply chain members prepare for RMS certification. By working in concert with certified participants we have developed a full suite of templates, checklists and guidance documents to help supply chain members. So whether you are actively working to achieve certification, or just want to see what it might take – come join us for an interactive session. We also encourage brand owners to attend so that they can better appreciate the requirements expected of their certified suppliers. The RMS team would like to thank McDonald’s for their support in the development of The RMS Participant Toolkit.

Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Laura Thompson
GreenBlue
Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Plastics: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Future Directions

Classroom 203

Global production and consumption of plastics and its deposition in the environment are growing rapidly, while their life-cycle impacts to the environment are yet to be fully understood. This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge, literature, and data on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) focused on plastics’ environmental impacts. LCA has been instrumental in gaining new insights on the environmental implications of different products and plastics is not an exception. LCAs have also been widely employed in various comparative studies such as biomass v.s. petroleum-based plastics, single-use plastics v.s. multi-use alternatives. Global life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from plastics, for example, is estimated to be around 1.7 Gt CO2e yr-1, which is substantially larger than the GHG emissions from global aviation. We will discuss the current practices in plastics LCA, challenges, and areas of future work. This masterclass will be concluded with the group activity focused on identifying the future research needs in the domain of plastics LCA.

Moderator
Dr. Alyssa Harben
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Milena Rangelov
VitalMetrics
Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Mind Shift: Narrowing the Gap Between Consumer Education, Intention and Action

Amphitheatre 204

When it comes to consumer education centered on sustainability choices and sustainable packaging, knowledge does not always equate with behavior change. Narrowing this “intention-action gap” is important not just for meeting corporate sustainability goals but also for the planet. How do we go from clear consumer education that ultimately transforms intentions into action?

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Brandi Parker
Parker Brands

Sponsored by
Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Presentation

2023 and Beyond for the Packaging Industry Leaders - What are the Priorities for Future Resilience and Excellence in Sustainability?

Classroom 301

The transformational change coming with sustainability will be unprecedented for the packaging industry. On top of that, inflation is a new reality and labor shortages are continuing. We suggest six key actions for industry participants to proactively consider in this revolutionary era and navigate these choppy waters.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Daniel Nordigaarden
McKinsey & Company

Speaker
David Feber
McKinsey & Company

Sponsored by
Monday, April 24

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #1

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to visit the 950k sq foot, latest generation Amazon Robotics Sortable building. Four wall-to-wall storage fields with over 100K storage pods serviced by over 5000 drive units. Generation 11 buildings differ from other Amazon buildings by adding a sortation field also serviced by drive units and robotic induction arms. Average OB shipments per day during Peak is 1,077,000. No retailers allowed, dress code and safety procedures will communicated to attendees.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

2:15 pm - 4:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #2)

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact attendees will get to experience this new Gold LEED certified soccer venue, home of the Austin FC Soccer Team. From Gensler’s state-of-the-art design down to the hand-painted concourse murals and everything in between, this tour provides guests a behind-the-scenes look at this soccer and entertainment venue. You’ll learn the history of the MLS’ 27th franchise and first major league team in Austin, TX. From the supporters’ stands to the locker room, you’ll see every inch of Q2 Stadium. Special thanks to SPC Member YETI who helped make this tour happen. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 5:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Fierce Whiskers Distillery Tour Presented by CarbonBetter

Offsite Tour Location

Fierce Whiskers is a grain-to-glass whiskey distillery producing soon-to-be-released bourbons, ryes, and single malts. Making world-class whiskey is not easy, and doing so sustainably adds another layer of complexity. Join Fierce Whiskers’ sustainability consultants, CarbonBetter, on a tour of their unique five-story bonded rickhouse specifically designed to harness the stubborn Texas climate and learn about energy efficiency measures taken across all operations at the distillery. After the tour, enjoy a cocktail while CarbonBetter and Fierce Whiskers conduct a short Q&A session about sustainability choices the distillery has made, trade-offs and considerations when making a water-intensive product, and what they learned bringing their limited-release carbon-negative bourbon, called Five O’Clock Shadow, to market. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Presentation

Additives and Compatibilizers for Improving PCR Properties

Classroom 103

PCR continues to be in high demand by brands and packaging converters in order to meet sustainable packaging goals and public commitments. PCR properties are of key importance in packaging performance and product safeguard. In this session we will learn about additives and compatibilizers, how they work, what they can achieve and what is still needed in terms of technology development.

Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Chris Ellison
The University of Minnesota
Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

ISO Conformant LCAs: Everything You Need to Know

Classroom 203

Are you ready to make public claims based on data from an LCA? ISO conformance doesn't have to be an intimidating process. This workshop will break down the process giving you the tools you need. You'll learn how ISO 14040 and 14044 govern the reporting and review process, what every report must provide, and how to engage in a third party panel review. Walk away equipped with the knowledge of ISO conformance for LCA to take your results to the next level.

Moderator
Alyssa Harben
GreenBlue

Speaker
Alison Crawley
Trayak

Sponsored by
Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Fireside Chat

Educating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Packaging and Recovery Industries

Amphitheatre 204

In this fireside chat, we will have a discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved and currently looks like in the packaging and recovery industries. The past three years have brought opportunities to reflect where the packaging and recycling industries fall short in reaching social sustainability goals, and to celebrate the work that has been done to get closer to those goals. Implementing the policies and practices that create the structural changes required for equitable workplaces is a marathon, not a sprint. This conversation will include a discussion of the structural changes organizations have implemented to support racial justice, the role that education plays and address what work still needs to be done.

Moderator
Melissa Craig
Unilever

Speaker
Camille Corr Chism
Michigan State University

Speaker
Cheryl Coleman
ISRI

Speaker
Myra Foster
Sealed Air
Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

A Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging in Consumer Goods

Classroom 301

Most of the major fast-moving consumer goods companies have targeted packaging transformation to achieve circularity targets while reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Consumer goods companies that make the biggest strides will start by focusing on legislation, infrastructure, consumers and retailers, and technology, enabling them to better understand available solutions and direct their efforts accordingly. The approach helped one global beauty company pinpoint ways to reduce packaging GHG emissions by more than 40% in 2030 by using 20% less packaging material (among other moves).

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Abhijit Prabhu
Bain & Company
Monday, April 24

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Exhibit Hall

Exhibit Hall Open

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction
Monday, April 24

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #2

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to visit the 950k sq foot, latest generation Amazon Robotics Sortable building. Four wall-to-wall storage fields with over 100K storage pods serviced by over 5000 drive units. Generation 11 buildings differ from other Amazon buildings by adding a sortation field also serviced by drive units and robotic induction arms. Average OB shipments per day during Peak is 1,077,000. No retailers allowed, dress code and safety procedures will communicated to attendees.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, April 24

3:20 pm - 4:00 pm (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Real-time Data is Key to Making your Packaging Fit for Today and Tomorrow

Classroom 103

When it comes to packaging, sustainability is one of the primary considerations for all brands globally. However, it’s far from easy to manage such a complex area. There are thousands of materials that can be used for packaging – and when you add laminates, colors, coatings, additives and labels, that tally swiftly becomes hundreds of thousands. It is the historical reliance on inaccurate data based on market segment averages and the fact that we retrospectively report just annually which has led to the industry being in this unfortunate position. In this session we will help you understand how you can obtain real-time data and therefore develop a ‘responsible’ packaging strategy.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Greg Lawson
Aura

Speaker
Gillian Garside-Wight
Aura
Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

Interpreting LCA Results to Meet Sustainable Packaging Goals

Classroom 203

This presentation will introduce an LCA case study which highlights how brands and packaging manufacturing companies can use the SPHERE framework and Plastic Leak Project guidelines to meet their sustainable packaging goals. The study demonstrates a holistic approach to making packaging decisions, covering all sustainability and circularity aspects of packaging. The quality of LCA results is dependent on data quality, goal and scope of a study, and the appropriate selection of impact assessment categories. The inclusion of appropriate metrics provides not only a packaging system perspective but also a market perspective to fully identify packaging system and market specific improvement opportunities. The presentation concludes with guidance on LCA results interpretation to help with multicriteria packaging decision making, either on a packaging portfolio level or for a specific product, to meet the sustainable packaging goals of a business.

Moderator
Dr. Alyssa Harben
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Mariya Absar
Quantis
Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Panel

Shaping the Next Generation of Sustainable Packaging Professionals

Amphitheatre 204

In this session we will hear from key Academic Institutions with Packaging, Engineering, Chemistry, Design and Environmental Science programs on the work they are doing to shape the next generation of sustainable packaging professionals to enter the workforce; how they are keeping up with industry trends, materials science innovation, the recovery system and next markets for recycled materials; the goals set by brands, the collective commitments and also their close involvement with industry in research projects and education opportunities.

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Andrew Hurley
Clemson University

Speaker
Dr. Young Kim
Virginia Tech

Speaker
Camille Corr Chism
Michigan State University

Speaker
Sandy Krasovec
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

A Balancing Act: Tradeoffs and Conflicting Goals

Classroom 301

Sustainable Packaging Goals are often set in an all encompassing form: all packaging will be recyclable, compostable, will have x% of recycled content or will be reusable. But how do packaging and sustainability professionals delivering on these goals decide on which kind of goal to pursue for each packaging type or each brand portfolio? How can we implement a hierarchy of needs to make packaging design and decide on tradeoffs? How do you operationalize the work and the team? How to obtain business priority; leverage the data and strategize tapping into external resources? This level-setting session will address this topic and will also include an interactive part where attendees will get to analyze and rank their priorities, values and packaging types.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Kim Carswell
GreenBlue

Speaker
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Laura Thompson
GreenBlue
Monday, April 24

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Banger’s Austin sponsored by Amcor

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by Amcor, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Banger’s Austin will be held on the beautiful Ground Floor Deck. With 200+ beers on tap, 20+ homemade sausages Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden offers one of the Lone Star state’s most creative plays on comfort food favorites and Southern style. So join us for gourmet sausages washed down with craft brews in this red cottage setting for networking with your fellow attendees. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Monday, April 24

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing sponsored by TC Transcontinental

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by TC Transcontinental, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing will be held in the Cool Store cozy barrel room & open-air picnic patio. This bright blue brewery on East Sixth Street has a well-curated cozy living room vibe with comfortable couches, antique rugs and warm woods throughout, serving English, Irish, Belgian or American old world-style beer and some fantastic street Tex Mex food. Attendees will get a chance to network in a trendy, casual atmosphere at one of Austin’s most respectedbreweries. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by

Tuesday, April 25

Tuesday, April 25

7:00 am - 4:00 pm (CDT)

Registration

Registration and Check-in Open

Registration Desk Level 2
Tuesday, April 25

7:00 am - 8:00 am (CDT)

Wellness

Morning Yoga Session Sponsored by 48Forty Solutions

Courtyard

In this first day of Morning Yoga, an instructor from YTX Austin will lead a session on Yoga Basics. This is a class designed for beginners or practitioners wanting to refine the foundation of their practice. If you are new to yoga, revisiting it after a long break, this class is for you. You will explore healthy alignment and actions of foundational poses, focus on breath and build a solid groundwork for your personal practice. Mats will be provided, please bring your water bottle with you.

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

7:45 am - 11:00 am (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Texas Disposal Systems

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL

What if there was a better way to manage resources and be a waste service provider? Texas Disposal Systems processes more than 3,000 tons of solid waste daily, including trash, recycling and composting. Located just south of Austin, the Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) materials recovery facility (MRF) is more than 100,000 square feet in size and runs two sorting systems that processes 20 to 25 tons of material per hour, including glass, cardboard, paper, aluminum and plastic. This tour offers an up-close look at the company's processing methodology and shows how the MRF fits into the wider 2,300-acre integrated waste-handling site operated by TDS. It is also home to the TDS Exotic Game Ranch, a facility that houses more than 115 species of animals as a living example of co-existence with a state-of-the-art, fully integrated landfill facility. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tuesday, April 25

8:00 am - 9:00 am (CDT)

Breakfast

Breakfast

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

8:10 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Tour

Organics by Gosh

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact 2023 attendees will get the chance to visit Organics By Gosh, a team of compost, soil and recycling enthusiasts leading the way into a promising future for organics. Through their Organics Recycling Program, continual commitment to compost made the smart way, and an emphasis on giving back to the community, they have plans to change the way people think about the ground they walk on and what they throw away. In 2012, the City of Austin sought out local partnerships to initiate its Curbside Composting Program. As a local compost company committed to delivering better products and better service to the City of Austin, Organics By Gosh answered the city’s call and was awarded the opportunity to assist the city with its goal of diverting compostable materials from landfills. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tuesday, April 25

8:20 am - 10:35 am (CDT)

Tour

H-E-B at Mueller Store Tour

Offsite Tour Location

H-E-B at Mueller is an 83,600 square feet retail store and fresh food market, with a pharmacy, café, and community meeting space. Located in the Mueller neighborhood, this H-E-B location is a designated LEED® Gold certification and Austin Energy® Green Building 4-Star sustainability certification store. The building addresses retail stores’ unique energy challenges through an advanced refrigeration/cooling system, integrated daylighting, computer automated LED lighting, efficient equipment, and careful building design -- resulting in an estimated 23% energy savings. It also features sustainably-sourced materials that protect occupant health by being low-emitting and free of harmful chemicals, preserve natural resources, and bolster the local economy. In addition, the site offers excellent connectivity, extensive bike parking, and electric car charging stations encouraging alternative transportation. Join us to see what it's all about for yourself!
Tuesday, April 25

8:25 am - 12:25 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Balcones Resources Tour Group #1

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
Balcones Resources is the largest independent recycler in the Southern US. The company's 100,000-square-foot flagship facility in Austin, Texas, processes between 12 and 15K tons of materials each month. Balcones believes the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the best classroom for recycling and environmental education. Join us to witness the range of technologies and separation strategies in use and learn more about our initiatives to increase sustainability efforts in our community. You’ll learn about how packaging is sorted for recycling, what makes packaging recyclable or not, and how the MRF fits into the larger supply chain that closes the loop on materials.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tuesday, April 25

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Masterclass

How to Design to Be Inclusive of 1 Billion People

Amphitheatre 204

In this masterclass, Christina Mallon will share the foundations of inclusive design, through the lens of packaging design and the cross- over between environmental and social sustainability.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Christina Mallon
Microsoft
Tuesday, April 25

9:00 am - 9:30 am (CDT)

Presentation

Paper Recyclability Testing Project Results and Next Steps

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

Late last year, the SPC Mixed Paper Collaborative released the “Introduction to Paper Packaging Recyclability Test Methods and Specifications”. This document was developed to bring a broader group of stakeholders into the discussion about how testing works and how this impacts paper packaging design and labeling. In this session we will use the guide to help introduce the role of recyclability testing in paper packaging.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Justin Schmitt
Ben & Jerry’s
Tuesday, April 25

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Presentation

The Landscape of Policy and Legislation in Food-grade Recycled Plastics

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

Given state mandates and corporate sustainability initiatives, the interest in recycled plastics for food-contact uses continues to grow. This presentation will provide an overview of the legal and regulatory requirements regarding the U.S. regulation of recycled plastics in food contact applications, including the Food and Drug Administration’s No Objection Letter (NOL) program and various state mandates impacting the landscape for food-grade recycled plastics.

Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership

Speaker
Mitzi Clark
Keller & Heckman
Tuesday, April 25

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Deep Dive

PRO 101: What a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) Can Do for You

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

A PRO is an entity that acts on behalf of producers to administer an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) or product stewardship program. But how can they best work for you and why do they exist in so many different formats and structures? This session will cover how a PRO fulfills EPR requirements, what guarantees exist generally, and key services producers should look for when evaluating a PRO. You will also gain an understanding of the types of PROs, including non-profits, producer-governed, competitive PROs and more. Finally, we will touch on the rise of PROs in the US, which states are leading the way, and the massive impacts that they will have for years to come on the world’s largest econom

Moderator
Dr. Alyssa Harben
GreenBlue

Speaker
Ken Friesen
Reclay StewardEdge
Tuesday, April 25

9:30 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Presentation

Paper Recyclability Testing, A Quick View from the Lab

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

In this session, we will go behind the scenes and see what exactly happens at a paper recyclability testing laboratory. Attendees will get a first-hand look at how testing simulates industrial recycling processes to determine recyclability. Stickies, adhesives, fiber yields, de-inking -- we will go inside the lab to see how it all works.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Elizabeth Rhue
Sonoco
Tuesday, April 25

9:25 am - 11:20 am (CDT)

Tour

Break it Down Austin

Offsite Tour Location

Break it Down provides composting and recycling services for roughly 800 businesses in the greater ATX. Starting in our front yard in 2009, we have eschewed traditional industry operations such as rear load compactor trucks and windrow composting, and instead built a system that combines both a higher service quality for our customers as well as the ability to generate higher value-added end products from the material collected. By employing batch dehydration of containerized waste streams, we are making dog food (theconsciouspet.life), fertilizers, and other products which are more valuable than the bulk compost amendments typically generated in an industrial compost operation. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tuesday, April 25

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Masterclass

Designing Packaging That Works

Amphitheatre 204

This session looks at current ISO guidelines for the design of inclusive packaging and what this means for the design, manufacture, use and disposal of packaging. In the session we will examine form, shape function and materiality and discuss and workshop why packaging looks the way it does.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Alaster Yoxall
Sheffield Hallam University
Tuesday, April 25

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Panel

Paper Recyclability Testing As a Driver for Better Packaging Design

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

With a better knowledge and understanding of how recyclability testing works, the value it brings to packaging design, and an inside look on how testing actually works this session will explore ideas on how we might use recyclability testing to help drive circular packaging. Are there emerging paper packaging innovations where we need new tests? How do brands and CPG’s use test protocols to design better packaging? Do we need more tests or more harmonized tests?

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Elizabeth Rhue
Sonoco

Speaker
Paul Schutes
Recycled Paperboard Alliance

Speaker
Dennis Colley
Fibre Box Association

Speaker
Brian Hawkinson
American Forest & Paper Association

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Panel

Considerations to Make the Switch to Recycled Food Packaging

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

Food-grade recycled plastics demand is set to grow in packaging, to meet sustainable packaging goals set forth by brands and collective commitments. Yet, there is no uniform legislative framework in place for the use of recycled plastics in packaging on a global scale. Industry support, increase of recycling rates in food packaging are needed to achieve circularity to avoid feedstocks issues, and therefore having enough supply of recycled plastics are needed as well as clear and consistent legislation. In this session, we will hear from companies that work in the space as end users, recyclers, converters as well as the legal and regulatory perspective.

Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership

Speaker
Cherish Changala
Revolution Company

Speaker
Nina Bellucci Butler
Stina

Speaker
Mitzi Clark
Keller & Heckman

Speaker
Justin Rentmeester
Klöckner Pentaplast

Speaker
Nate Miranda
TC Transcontinental

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Panel

Global EPR Developments & What They Mean

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle by shifting responsibility, both for the financing and management of a recycling system, toward the producer and away from municipalities to help deliver a circular economy. With EPR policies and legislation on the rise in North America, as well as changes to established schemes in Europe, the landscape that businesses need to navigate is increasingly complex. This panel discussion will inform you of the latest EPR advances and impacts in the United States, Europe and Canada from federal, state and territorial perspectives. You will also gain insights into producer efforts towards a centralized Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) across the US.

Moderator
Dr. Jon Smieja
GreenBiz

Speaker
Adrian Vannahme
Reclay StewardEdge

Speaker
Kate Bailey
Association of Plastics Recyclers

Speaker
Dylan de Thomas
The Recycling Partnership
Tuesday, April 25

10:25 am - 12:20 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Balcones Resources Group #2

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
Balcones Resources is the largest independent recycler in the Southern US. The company's 100,000-square-foot flagship facility in Austin, Texas, processes between 12 and 15K tons of materials each month. Balcones believes the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the best classroom for recycling and environmental education. Join us to witness the range of technologies and separation strategies in use and learn more about our initiatives to increase sustainability efforts in our community. You’ll learn about how packaging is sorted for recycling, what makes packaging recyclable or not, and how the MRF fits into the larger supply chain that closes the loop on materials.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tuesday, April 25

10:30 am - 11:00 am (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Workshop

Packaging Accessibility: The Consumer Experience

Amphitheatre 204

In this interactive session, Dr. Andrew Hurley from Clemson University will share insights on his research centered on packaging accessibility and what the user experience is like for conditions such as color blindness, impaired vision and impaired mobility and dexterity for arthritis. He will demonstrate the tools he has developed in his lab to imitate these conditions, as well as eye tracking and emotions tracking technologies. Attendees will get to participate in the demonstration and a discussion on how they experienced packaging with the impairments.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Andrew Hurley
Clemson University

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Panel

Sustainable Packaging from Concept to Commercialization

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

In this panel we will hear from key representatives directly involved in scaling up sustainable packaging in manufacturing plants about the best practices for a project to be successful, what they have learned about earning the support of the team and the buy-in of all stakeholders in making a sustainable packaging project a reality.

Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue

Speaker
Bruce Mackimmie
Tetra Pak

Speaker
Madison Keller
Printpack

Speaker
Sal Pellingra
ProAmpac

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Panel

Identifying High-Value Markets for Hard-to-Recycle Plastics

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

Linking post-use materials to end markets is a critical component in ensuring these materials make it into new products. How do materials brokers match materials with their highest and best use, taking into account cost, material specifications, and location? What do other value chain players need to know about this work in order to increase use of recycled content, provide consistent supply to meet demand, and support system efficiency?

Moderator
Dr. Katrina Knauer
NREL

Speaker
Seth Goodman
Northstar Recycling

Speaker
Steve Alexander
The Association of Plastic Recyclers

Speaker
Paula Leardini
ICIS

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Panel

Innovation Opportunities to Address Recyclability Challenges

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

In this session the How2Recycle team and external experts will share observations on packaging trends, challenges still in the marketplace to address issues in: - Product Evacuation and the Impact of Product Residue in Recyclability - Packaging Components and their effect in recovery (caps, closures, seals, adhesives)

Moderator
Kaleigh Reno
GreenBlue

Speaker
Diane Marret
Berry Global

Speaker
Kelly Santini
iMFLUX

Speaker
Elizabeth Staab
H.B. Fuller

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Lunch

Lunch

Tejas Conference Dining, Zlotnik Prefunction

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (CDT)

Main Stage Keynote Ted Talk

Main Stage Day 1

Zlotnik Ballroom

1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Opening Remarks
Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue

2:00 - 2:30 pm Opening Keynote + Fireside Chat | Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
According to the Gaia hypothesis (named after the ancient Greek goddess of Earth), all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and self-regulating complex system, maintaining the conditions for life on the planet. How can we be a partner with the environment and learn to be a positive part of the system? In this opening keynote talk and interview, Dr. Kimberley Miner will share her research on climate risks and her observations of changes around the world.
Speaker: Dr. Kimberley Rain Miner, Earth and Climate Scientist, NASA<

2:30-3:00 pm TED Talk | Closing the Intention-Behavior Gap
The dramatic increase in awareness and concern about climate and the environment worldwide has largely failed to spur environmental behaviors. In this talk, I explain how existing lifestyle habits contribute to this intention-behavior gap. Closing the gap requires changing the habits that perpetuate our current travel choices, energy consumption, and diet. Such habits resist many standard behavior change interventions but can be altered through interventions that change behavior directly so as to promote sustainable choices and impede unsustainable ones.
Speaker: Dr. Wendy Wood, Author of the book, Good Habits, Bad Habits, President-Elect of the Association for Psychological Science and Provost Professor of Psychology and Business, University of Southern California

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Kimberley Miner
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab

Speaker
Dr. Wendy Wood
University of Southern California

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with the Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

3:45 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Main Stage Ted Talk Fireside Chat

Main Stage | Keep Austin Sustainable and Future Thinking

Zlotnik Ballroom

In this Main Stage Session we will hear about the forward thinking initiatives, programs and organizations from Austin working to advance sustainability and improve recovery; spearhead regenerative thinking and innovative ways to do business in mission driven ways that can inspire and be replicated in other cities and regions around the world.

3:45 - 4:05 Fireside Chat with Austin Resource Recovery
Austin Resource Recovery provides essential services to protect people and the planet. Hear from Director Ken Snipes and Assistant Director Gena McKinley on how this City of Austin department is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery.
Speakers: Ken Snipes, Director, Austin Resource Recovery, City of Austin & Gena McKinley, Assistant Director, Austin Resource Recovery, City of Austin

4:05 - 4:20 TED Talk | The MRF’s Role in the Circular Economy
The circular economy is more than recycling alone, but single-stream recycling is and will remain a critical component of closing the loop for packaging, paper and containers. In this talk, Joaquin Mariel of Balcones Resources will share how the South’s largest independent MRF operator is supporting the transition to circularity. He will cover how Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) serve as critical infrastructure for the circular future and for building the next generation of circular professionals. MRFs can serve as a producer of quality recycled feedstock, testing and educational site for circular product design, an R&D center, a source of consumer behavior insights, and deployer of advanced technology. Joaquin will share his vision for how recycling operations can complement and support other circular processes like reuse, redesign and composting. Brands and retailers will walk away with a strong understanding of MRF operations and how to partner with MRFs to support shared circularity and zero waste goals.
Speaker: Joaquin Mariel, Chief Commercial Officer, Balcones Resources

4:20 - 4:45 TED Talk | Bringing Waste Prevention to the Mainstream
Humanity puts out a lot of everyday waste - groceries, CPG, beverage cups, takeout, delivery boxes - it is everywhere. Changing this is a multi-domain challenge involving new technologies, processes, habits, infrastructure, business models, materials, marketing strategies and more. Hear stories from the trenches of everyday consumer waste prevention from a company dedicated to it.
Speaker: Yogesh Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO, Trashless

4:45 - 5:00 pm TED Talk | Fierce Whiskers: We are not a sustainability brand<
Making whiskey in Texas is challenging for a variety of reasons, but Fierce Whiskers has seized the opportunity to rethink how things should be done from grain to glass—including how to make the best tasting whiskey also the best for the environment. While sustainability is considered in every decision that they make, Fierce Whiskers doesn't aim to be an eco-brand—they want to be known for fantastic whiskey, and they think every business should be responsible for minimizing their impact as part of day-to-day operations. In this talk, co-founder Tri Vo will share his perspective on the challenges Fierce Whiskers faces when making great whiskey in Texas while balancing considerations about environmental impact and energy efficiency at every step of the process.
Speaker: Tri Vo, Co-Founder, Fierce Whiskers

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Ken Snipes
Austin Resource Recovery

Speaker
Gena McKinley
Austin Resource Recovery

Speaker
Joaquin Mariel
Balcones Resources

Speaker
Yogesh Sharma
Trashless

Speaker
Tri Vo
Fierce Whiskers

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at The Brewtorium sponsored by Brook + Whittle

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by Brook & Whittle, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at The Brewtorium a new space in Austin to enjoycraft beers. The Brewtorium is a modern take on a German beer hall which is locally-owned and features award-winning house-brewed beer and modern pub cuisine. Brewtorium is a local favorite, so join us for the evening to connect with other attendees over a deliciousin-house brew. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Still Austin sponsored by UPM Raflatac

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by UPM Raflatac, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Still Austin Whiskey Co. will be held in the Tasting Room & Garden Bar. Still Austin is proud to be one of the only distilleries in Texas to source grains from local farmers, distilled ecologically in-house, and aged right here in the Texas Hill Country. Using local ingredients allows the creativity and individuality of Texas to shine through every sip. So join us for this unique networking event & kick back with a whiskey cocktail. This social has transport provided. The bus to take you to the venue will depart from the Conference Center Entrance on Whitis Ave. Please gather at the entrance at 5:30pm and check in with SPC staff there before boarding the bus. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Tuesday, April 25

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Stubbs BBQ sponsored by Quad

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by Quad, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Stubb's Bar-B-Q will be held in the Liberty Lunch EventSpace. Stubbs is a legendary music venue and a must-see spot. More than a famous barbecue joint, thevenue’s namesake, C.B. Stubblefield, who opened his original Lubbock smokehouse in 1968. It was here that he first served his now world famous BBQ sauce. So join us for a real Texas experience with mouthwatering, slow smoked, authentic Texas barbecue in an historic 1850's limestone building. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by

Wednesday, April 26

Wednesday, April 26

7:00 am - 4:00 pm (CDT)

Registration

Registration and Check-in Open

Registration Desk Level 2
Wednesday, April 26

7:00 am - 8:00 am (CDT)

Wellness

Morning Yoga Session

Courtyard

In our second morning yoga session, the class will be a Slow Flow type of yoga class. In this class you will practice about half the number of poses you might practice in a Vinyasa class. Slow Flow classes are a combination of Vinyasa and Yin yoga, with fewer transitions than Vinyasa yoga and more flow than Yin yoga. Because of the slower, meditative pace, some find these classes more accessible than the Vinyasa classes. Mats will be provided, please bring your water bottle with you.

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

8:00 am - 4:30 pm (CDT)

Exhibit Hall

Exhibit Hall Open

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction
Wednesday, April 26

8:00 am - 9:00 am (CDT)

Breakfast

Breakfast

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Masterclass

Embedding Diversity in the Packaging Design Process

Classroom 203

Vault49 Co-Founder John Glasgow looks at how (and why) to embed diversity-led and sustainability-first thinking throughout the design process, and shares some of the ways that he and his agency are forging the way to create a more diverse and inclusive branding and packaging design industry.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
John Glasgow
Vault49
Wednesday, April 26

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Panel

Designing Packaging for Advanced Recycling

Amphitheatre 204

Advanced Recycling represents different recovery options for packaging types not yet recyclable in the mechanical recycling streams. Just as packaging designers design for end of life solutions (recycling, composting), what if CPGs and manufacturers also designed their packages to match the different Advanced Recycling technologies available? In this session, led by Dr. Kat Knauer from NREL, we will hear from three different types of solutions, what an ideal feedstock looks like for chemical recyclers and how brands and manufacturers can think of their packages in the design phase, with a technology solution in mind.

Moderator
Dr. Katrina Knauer
NREL

Speaker
Tamsin Ettefagh
PureCycle

Speaker
Carla Toth
Nexus Circular

Speaker
Carl Williams
Eastman
Wednesday, April 26

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Presentation

CleanPackage: Enabling the shift to safer alternatives

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

Come learn about a new resource designed to help companies shift towards safer alternatives! CleanPackage is a collaboration between ChemForward and the SPC, providing members with easy access to a registry of verified safer building blocks for packaging that have gone through rigorous third-party chemical hazard assessment. In this session, we’ll share more about the resource and who it’s designed for, and provide accompanying guidance to support conversations that help accelerate the transition to safer materials.

Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue

Speaker
Stacy Glass
ChemFORWARD
Wednesday, April 26

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Presentation

Extended Producer Responsibility: Why we can’t legislate our way to a Sustainable Waste Management System

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

We have a waste problem – we make too much of it, are running out of places to put it, and as a result, it is ending up in our environment, posing significant risks to both terrestrial and aquatic systems. But is the solution to this problem legislation? For packaging waste, extended producer responsibility has been touted as the cure to all of our waste problems. EPR promises to increase recycling rates, develop new end markets and do so at no additional cost to consumers. As a result, support for EPR legislation has gained significant traction across the United States and in many ways, is seen as an inevitability. But when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is – this presentation explores the limits to what legislation can and can’t do, and sheds light on the dangers of overly prescriptive legislation using experiences from Canada and abroad.

Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Calvin Lakhan
York University
Wednesday, April 26

9:00 am - 9:45 am (CDT)

Panel

What Does A Recycled Material Certification Process Look Like? A view from the Early Adopters

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

Join us to hear from industry leaders that have been early adopters of the Recycled Material Standard (RMS). Each participant has taken advantage of a different aspect of the standard (average content claims, mass balance and ARCs). Join us to learn about their respective journeys and what the future of recycled material certification brings.

Moderator
Dr. Laura Thompson
GreenBlue

Speaker
Cherish Changala
Revolution Company

Speaker
Richa Desai
Graham Packaging

Speaker
Martha Issa
Veritiv
Wednesday, April 26

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Deep Dive

Designing Recycling Systems to Drive Efficiencies and Advance the Circular Economy

Classroom 203

Allen Langdon is the CEO of Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that was established to support producers with meeting their obligations under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations across Canada. Allen will provide insight on EPR across Canada, including how Circular Materials is leading the transition and implementation of EPR in Ontario and harmonizing producer services and recycling supply chain to achieve scale and deliver efficiencies across Canada.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Allen Langdon
Circular Materials
Wednesday, April 26

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Presentation

How Does Sustainable Messaging Affect Shoppers in a Direct-to-Consumer Path to Purchase?

Amphitheatre 204

For the past several years, Package InSight by Quad has centered its consumer-focused sustainability research on communication in brick-and-mortar retail environments. Then in 2022 we partnered with Pregis and Asia Pulp and Paper to test the effectiveness of a carbon footprint logo in both on-shelf and ecommerce usage. Using a brand and logo system we created in-house we found that, at least for e-commerce, logo saturation was key to affecting consumer sentiment around sustainability. This left us wondering, with more and more shopping regularly taking place online, how are consumers in the real world affected by sustainable message saturation that starts with online shopping and follows through the entire purchase experience?

Moderator
Dr. Laura Thompson
GreenBlue

Speaker
Shannon Anderson
Quad
Wednesday, April 26

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Panel

Enabling Supply Chain Innovation Through Verified Hazard Data

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

Innovation towards circular materials must be accompanied with transparency on the human and environmental health impacts of those materials. Reliable chemical hazard assessment data is key to ensuring that materials and substitutions are verified to be safer, but sharing the necessary information is a challenge that requires supply chain collaboration. Our panelists will share their experience in pushing for this level of transparency while ensuring the protection of confidential business information from upstream to downstream. In this session, we’ll unpack some of the challenges, discuss the importance of establishing a chain of reliable and verified data, and explore what can be done to activate the supply chain from any position within i

Moderator
Stacy Glass
ChemFORWARD

Speaker
Zack Leimkuehler
Ahlstrom

Speaker
Kelly Magurany
NSF

Speaker
Bob Woods
Zaclon LLC
Wednesday, April 26

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Presentation

Sustainability in Packaging: Global Regulatory Development Across 30 Countries

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

New, stricter sustainability regulations are emerging on multiple fronts with increasing frequency. However, regulatory focus and approaches vary considerably by region and diverge even further when viewed at the country or state level. This heterogeneity is making the fast-changing regulatory landscape complex to navigate on a worldwide basis. To better understand the recent developments, we will in this session provide insights on mapped regulations in 30 countries around the world.

Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue

Speaker
Dr. Daniel Nordigaarden
McKinsey & Company

Speaker
David Feber
McKinsey & Company
Wednesday, April 26

9:45 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Panel

Doing the Heavy Lifting: The Role of Reuse Service Providers

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

As more brands look to experiment with and expand their reusable packaging offerings, many are realizing they can’t do this work alone. Reverse logistics for reuse - everything from managing the return process and inventory tracking, to cleaning and sanitization - are no small feat for brands to take on in-house. For this reason, many have partnered with reuse service providers - innovative companies whose entire business model is about handling these sticky logistics for brands and food service establishments. In this session, we’ll hear about the benefits of working with reuse partners to scale reuse and get high adoption rates.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Jason Hawkins
Reusables.com

Speaker
Mitch Barlas
WeUse

Speaker
Meagan Knowlton
Bluelabs

Speaker
Yogesh Sharma
Trashless
Wednesday, April 26

10:30 am - 11:00 am (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Workshop

Data-backed Strategies for Better Packaging and a Better Recycling System

Classroom 203

Join The Recycling Partnership for this workshop designed to help companies at all stages of the circular packaging journey. Learn how to set and prioritize reduction, reuse, and recyclability strategies with time bound targets, and how those strategies could increase or reduce potential EPR fees. Move from strategy to action by implementing better packaging within your four walls and helping to build a better recycling system outside your four walls, with infrastructure and education that’s moving the needle. This workshop will tap into real world examples, leverage free tools, and share data and resources to help attendees move quickly from strategy to action.

Speaker
Katherine Huded
The Recycling Partnership
Wednesday, April 26

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Panel

Decarbonizing Paper Production: The Impact on Paper-based Packaging

Amphitheatre 204

This session brings leaders from pulp and paper industry, consumer facing brands, and carbon accounting consulting together to discuss strategies the paper packaging industry can take to lower the carbon footprint of materials to enable companies to reach Science Based Targets for emission reduction. The panel will cover the evolution of carbon accounting guidance (changes to GHG Protocol), importance of Science Based Targets for customers within the supply chain, and existing and emerging technologies being explored to reduce overall carbon emissions of fiber-based packaging.

Moderator
Sabrina Burkhardt
Amazon

Speaker
David Brabham
Georgia-Pacific

Speaker
Brian Pincus
Anheuser-Busch InBev

Speaker
Jason Bell
ENGIE

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Deep Dive

Towards a Circular Austin

Salons 1-2 Zlotnik Ballroom

Learn how the City of Austin is innovating and advancing towards a circular economy through local industry development, entrepreneurship development and support, global plastic commitments and internal reuse and waste reduction programs.

Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue

Speaker
Madelyn Morgan
Austin Resource Recovery
Wednesday, April 26

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Deep Dive

From the Front Lines of the California Legislature: 2022 Reshapes Packaging Policy … Again!

Salons 3-4 Zlotnik Ballroom

Hear from one of the lead packaging advocates in California, on how in the last two years we have seen monumental policy changes on the recycling of packaging and products in California and beyond. Join this deep dive in the complex policy changes that were made for recyclability labeling and source reduction and EPR and learn how to prepare for compliance.

Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue

Speaker
Lauren Aguilar
Serlin Haley LLP
Wednesday, April 26

11:00 am - 11:45 am (CDT)

Panel

New Partnerships for Reusable Packaging in Closed Loop Venues and Institutions

Salons 5-6 Zlotnik Ballroom

There’s a new trend making its way to closed loop venues and institutions: close partnerships between global food service companies and nimble reuse startups. Looking to bring reusable options to their customers, large companies are turning to the knowledge of early innovators in the reusable space to be able to scale these solutions. In some cases, they are even making strategic investments in reusable food serviceware companies to build on the expertise they have developed. Learn more about the motivation behind these close partnerships and how they will enable reusable food packaging to effectively reach more venues and institutions.

Moderator
Lucy Pierce
GreenBlue

Speaker
Jacquie Hutchings
Friendlier

Speaker
Brett Blumberg
Live Nation Entertainment
Wednesday, April 26

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Lunch

Lunch

Tejas Conference Dining, Zlotnik Prefunction

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

1:45 pm - 3:10 pm (CDT)

Main Stage Keynote Ted Talk

Main Stage Day 2 - Part 1

Zlotnik Ballroom

1:45 pm - 2:00 pm Opening Remarks for the Afternoon
Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue

2:00- 2:25 pm Keynote and Interview | Design is a Way to Promote Social Justice
Customers expect companies to help solve social justice issues. They are telling us with their words and showing us their buying decisions. Unfortunately, current design practices do not consider underfunded communities, which is harming society and bad for businesses' bottom line. What if our design choices could lead to a more equitable world? Christina Mallon is here to teach us how.
Speaker: Christina Mallon, Director of Inclusive Design at Microsoft & Board Member of Open Style Lab (OSL) founded at MIT

2:25 - 2:40 pm TED Talk | Let's Eat, Grandad
In a world that needs to reduce packaging pollution and waste and yet be more inclusive to the needs and demands of changing social, political and demographic issues we need a framework that thinks about sustainability not just as an environmental issue but one that involves people, place, culture and of course money. This talk discusses these issues and how this impacts the design of packaging for the modern world and discusses what a possible framework may look like.
Speaker: Dr. Alaster Yoxall, Principal Research Fellow in Human Centered Engineering and Professor of Packaging Ergonomics, Sheffield Hallam University

2:40 - 3:10 pm TED Talk and Interview | Sustaining the Intangible
Join Nicole Lowry for a conversation on the importance of the intangibles that impact sustainability. Listen in to gain a new perspective around how focusing on inclusion, sharing power, and communities can collectively help sustain our future.
Speaker: Nicole Lowry, Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Quad<

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Christina Mallon
Microsoft

Speaker
Dr. Alaster Yoxall
Sheffield Hallam University

Speaker
Nicole Lowry
Quad

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

3:10 pm - 3:45 pm (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 26

3:45 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Main Stage Ted Talk Fireside Chat

Main Stage Day 2 - Part 2

Zlotnik Ballroom

3:40- 3:55 pm TED Talk | Sustainability in Packaging: Inside the Minds of the US vs. Global Consumers
The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly transformed US consumer behavior in several ways and most lately new consumer concerns around inflation are further impacting behavior. What is the impact on sustainability in packaging? In this session, we will provide an overview on our latest thinking on themes regarding consumer sustainability sentiments and how perceptions and priorities differ between US and global consumers.
Speakers: Daniel Nordigaarden, Partner, McKinsey and Company & David Feber, Senior Partner, McKinsey and Company 3:55 - 4:05 pm TED Talk: Who is the Sustainability Consumer and, How Do We Find Them?
What do surveys and data analytics tell us about the sustainability consumer? Meagan Knowlton from BlueLabs, a data analytics firm, will share early learnings from a 2023 consumer survey and data model that seek to answer that question. Join us for insights on who these consumers are, where they’re located, how to market to them, and importantly, how we can expand that group to more consumers.
Speaker: Meagan Knowlton, Director Sustainability Practice, Bluelabs 4:05- 4:20 TED Talk | Hard. Uncomfortable. Annoying.
Embracing the difficulty to embed diversity and sustainability-led thinking throughout the branding and packaging design process.
Speaker:John Glasgow, Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director, Vault49 4:20 - 4:45 pm Fireside Chat | The Power of Design for Sustainability
n this fireside chat, Brandi Parker will sit down with Paul Nowak from GreenBlue to discuss the beginning, the origin, the inception. That special first moment when a product and/or a package is born. This is the moment when we can affect over 80% of that thing (product, package) lifecycle. The decisions made at that time are crucial and require to thoughtfully embed sustainability into this process so it carries throughout the entire life of said thing. As part of this conversation, Brandi and Paul will talk about how to write better sustainability briefs and how to bring to the process brand, marketing and factor in existing sustainable packaging goals.
Speakers: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue & Brandi Parker, Founder of Parker Brands and Brand-Level Sustainability Consultant, Parker Brands 4:45 - 5:00 pm Closing Remarks for the day
Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Suku Ponkshe
McKinsey & Company

Speaker
Meagan Knowlton
Bluelabs

Speaker
John Glasgow
Vault49

Speaker
Brandi Parker
Parker Brands

Sponsored by

Thursday, April 27

Thursday, April 27

7:00 am - 12:00 pm (CDT)

Registration and Check-in Open

Registration Desk Level 2
Thursday, April 27

7:00 am - 8:00 am (CDT)

Wellness

Morning Yoga Session

Courtyard

In our third morning yoga session, the class led by YTX Austin will be a Vinyasa type of class. Vinyasa is a series of sequenced poses that seamlessly flow together. You’ll experience both foundational postures and creative variations that will strengthen, open and restore your body and mind. This class is accompanied by an artfully curated playlist, and incorporates a longer warm-up and cool-down to deliver a well-rounded and total body experience. Mats will be provided, please bring your water bottle with you.

Sponsored by
Thursday, April 27

8:00 am - 9:00 am (CDT)

Breakfast

Breakfast

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Thursday, April 27

9:00 am - 10:15 am (CDT)

Main Stage Keynote Ted Talk

Main Stage Day 3 - Part 1

Zlotnik Ballroom

9:00 - 9:15 am Opening Remarks for the Day
Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue

9:15 am - 9:45 am Keynote + Interview | What Wool Can Teach Us About Sustainability
Adam Minter shares a parable of unintended consequences from one of the world's hidden recycling capitols: Panipat, India. He shows us how one of the world's most sustainable materials quietly became obsolete, even as consumers were demanding more sustainable options. Along the way, he reminds us that sustainability is a constantly evolving goal that can be undermined by even the slightest consumer shift. Remaining a sustainability leader requires constant innovation.
Speaker: Adam Minter, Columnist, Bloomberg

9:45 am - 10:00 am TED Talk | Mind the Gap: Exploring the value-action gap as it pertains to household behavior and attitudes towards waste management
This presentation explores what the value-action gap is, and why it is so prevalent in issues surrounding the environment and how waste is managed in particular. Topics to be discussed include: What helps shape our values, attitudes, and opinions towards packaging, packaging waste and how it should be effectively managed at its end of life? What are the barriers/obstacles that result in our actions not correlating with our values? What are the consequences of wanting to engage in a particular behavior/action (i.e. recycling), but being unable to do so? How do we overcome the value action gap and practice what we preach?
Speaker: Dr. Calvin Lakhan, Co-Investigator of the Waste Wiki Project, York University

10:00 am - 10:15 am TED Talk | Have a Voice in Your Future: Leaning into Proactive Public Policy
Often companies complain of government regulation negatively impacting their bottom-lines. In this TED talk, hear how leaning-in and leading proactive policy development can produce better outcomes for companies and society in general. Attendees will learn not just how policy gets done but how to be in the room where it happens to be a proactive advocate for your future.
Speaker: Andy Hackman, Principal Lobbyist, Serlin Haley LLP

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Adam Minter
Bloomberg Opinion

Speaker
Dr. Calvin Lakhan
York University

Speaker
Andrew Hackman
Serlin Haley LLP

Sponsored by
Thursday, April 27

10:15 am - 10:45 am (CDT)

Networking Break

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Sponsored by
Thursday, April 27

10:45 am - 12:00 pm (CDT)

Main Stage Ted Talk Panel Fireside Chat

Main Stage Day 3 - Part 2

Zlotnik Ballroom

10:45- 11:00 am TED Talk | New Insights for On-Pack Consumer Education
How do consumers respond to different on-pack labeling elements like certification language, third-party logos, and instructions? This talk will share results from a first-of-its-kind survey that asked over 3,000 consumers to identify and perceive labeling on compostable packaging. This data gives us new insights into how product certification, labeling, and design can play a more effective role in educating consumers about packaging attributes and proper end-of-life disposal. Equipped with these findings, the industry can help guide future labeling regulations and design guidelines while designing better food waste diversion systems.
Speaker: Rhodes Yepsen, Executive Director, Biodegradable Products Institute

11:00 - 11:20 am Fireside Chat | Sustainable Self-care and what COVID-19 taught us about change
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the world’s collective focus on mental health and well-being and helped to amplify the trend for consumers around the globe to take control of their own health and wellness. In this fireside chat, Steve Ramus from Perrigo Company will share his company’s perspective on swift adaption to global changes and challenges, corporate transformation and how sustainability and ESG fit into systems change.
Speaker: Steve Ramus, VP Sustainability and ESG, Perrigo Company

11:20 - 11:50 am Panel | The whole is greater than the sum of its parts: The Emergence of Collaboration
The urgency to solve global challenges on climate change; packaging recovery and next markets; better recycling and composting infrastructure; consumer awareness and action; carbon impacts; better material selection and innovation requires that all of us work together. In this session, leaders from key NGOs and Associations will share how the emergence of their collaborative efforts is advancing and how they are showing up to collaborate and compliment their efforts to better empower industry to take action, and because at the end, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Moderator: Dr. Jon Smieja, VP of Circularity & Senior Analyst, GreenBiz Group
Panelists:
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Paul Schutes, President, Recycled Paperboard Alliance
Dan Felton, Executive Director, AMERIPEN

11:50 - 12:00 pm Closing Remarks and Conclusion of the Event
Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue

Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue

Speaker
Rhodes Yepsen
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)

Speaker
Steve Ramus
Perrigo Company

Speaker
Dr. Jon Smieja
GreenBiz

Speaker
Paul Schutes
Recycled Paperboard Alliance

Speaker
Dan Felton
AMERIPEN

Sponsored by

Tours

Tours

10:00 am - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Tour, Cooking Class and Lunch

Wicked Kitchen

Offsite Tour Location

Wicked Kitchen is is on a mission to unleash the mighty power of plants! Crave-able, flavor-first, sustainable foods that are better for you and the planet! Plant-based food for meat-eaters and vegans alike. SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to tour the Wicked Kitchen location at The Yard, hear more about their story and mission, and take in a cooking class led by Chef and Co-Founder of Wicked, Chad Sarno. Chef Sarno will discuss how mushrooms are the sustainable food of the future. Participants will get a hands-on demonstration of various techniques that transform mushrooms into meat by Chad and his team of chefs. Following the class, guests will sit down to enjoy a delicious plant-based lunch featuring local Hi-Fi Mycology mushrooms prepared from the class. Transportation will be provided. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

1:15 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #1)

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact attendees will get to experience this new Gold LEED certified soccer venue, home of the Austin FC Soccer Team. From Gensler’s state-of-the-art design down to the hand-painted concourse murals and everything in between, this tour provides guests a behind-the-scenes look at this soccer and entertainment venue. You’ll learn the history of the MLS’ 27th franchise and first major league team in Austin, TX. From the supporters’ stands to the locker room, you’ll see every inch of Q2 Stadium. Special thanks to SPC Member YETI who helped make this tour happen. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #1

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to visit the 950k sq foot, latest generation Amazon Robotics Sortable building. Four wall-to-wall storage fields with over 100K storage pods serviced by over 5000 drive units. Generation 11 buildings differ from other Amazon buildings by adding a sortation field also serviced by drive units and robotic induction arms. Average OB shipments per day during Peak is 1,077,000. No retailers allowed, dress code and safety procedures will communicated to attendees.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

2:15 pm - 4:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #2)

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact attendees will get to experience this new Gold LEED certified soccer venue, home of the Austin FC Soccer Team. From Gensler’s state-of-the-art design down to the hand-painted concourse murals and everything in between, this tour provides guests a behind-the-scenes look at this soccer and entertainment venue. You’ll learn the history of the MLS’ 27th franchise and first major league team in Austin, TX. From the supporters’ stands to the locker room, you’ll see every inch of Q2 Stadium. Special thanks to SPC Member YETI who helped make this tour happen. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

2:30 pm - 5:15 pm (CDT)

Tour

Fierce Whiskers Distillery Tour Presented by CarbonBetter

Offsite Tour Location

Fierce Whiskers is a grain-to-glass whiskey distillery producing soon-to-be-released bourbons, ryes, and single malts. Making world-class whiskey is not easy, and doing so sustainably adds another layer of complexity. Join Fierce Whiskers’ sustainability consultants, CarbonBetter, on a tour of their unique five-story bonded rickhouse specifically designed to harness the stubborn Texas climate and learn about energy efficiency measures taken across all operations at the distillery. After the tour, enjoy a cocktail while CarbonBetter and Fierce Whiskers conduct a short Q&A session about sustainability choices the distillery has made, trade-offs and considerations when making a water-intensive product, and what they learned bringing their limited-release carbon-negative bourbon, called Five O’Clock Shadow, to market. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #2

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
SPC Impact attendees will get a chance to visit the 950k sq foot, latest generation Amazon Robotics Sortable building. Four wall-to-wall storage fields with over 100K storage pods serviced by over 5000 drive units. Generation 11 buildings differ from other Amazon buildings by adding a sortation field also serviced by drive units and robotic induction arms. Average OB shipments per day during Peak is 1,077,000. No retailers allowed, dress code and safety procedures will communicated to attendees.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

7:45 am - 11:00 am (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Texas Disposal Systems

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL

What if there was a better way to manage resources and be a waste service provider? Texas Disposal Systems processes more than 3,000 tons of solid waste daily, including trash, recycling and composting. Located just south of Austin, the Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) materials recovery facility (MRF) is more than 100,000 square feet in size and runs two sorting systems that processes 20 to 25 tons of material per hour, including glass, cardboard, paper, aluminum and plastic. This tour offers an up-close look at the company's processing methodology and shows how the MRF fits into the wider 2,300-acre integrated waste-handling site operated by TDS. It is also home to the TDS Exotic Game Ranch, a facility that houses more than 115 species of animals as a living example of co-existence with a state-of-the-art, fully integrated landfill facility. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

8:10 am - 10:30 am (CDT)

Tour

Organics by Gosh

Offsite Tour Location

SPC Impact 2023 attendees will get the chance to visit Organics By Gosh, a team of compost, soil and recycling enthusiasts leading the way into a promising future for organics. Through their Organics Recycling Program, continual commitment to compost made the smart way, and an emphasis on giving back to the community, they have plans to change the way people think about the ground they walk on and what they throw away. In 2012, the City of Austin sought out local partnerships to initiate its Curbside Composting Program. As a local compost company committed to delivering better products and better service to the City of Austin, Organics By Gosh answered the city’s call and was awarded the opportunity to assist the city with its goal of diverting compostable materials from landfills. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

8:20 am - 10:35 am (CDT)

Tour

H-E-B at Mueller Store Tour

Offsite Tour Location

H-E-B at Mueller is an 83,600 square feet retail store and fresh food market, with a pharmacy, café, and community meeting space. Located in the Mueller neighborhood, this H-E-B location is a designated LEED® Gold certification and Austin Energy® Green Building 4-Star sustainability certification store. The building addresses retail stores’ unique energy challenges through an advanced refrigeration/cooling system, integrated daylighting, computer automated LED lighting, efficient equipment, and careful building design -- resulting in an estimated 23% energy savings. It also features sustainably-sourced materials that protect occupant health by being low-emitting and free of harmful chemicals, preserve natural resources, and bolster the local economy. In addition, the site offers excellent connectivity, extensive bike parking, and electric car charging stations encouraging alternative transportation. Join us to see what it's all about for yourself!
Tours

8:25 am - 12:25 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Balcones Resources Tour Group #1

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
Balcones Resources is the largest independent recycler in the Southern US. The company's 100,000-square-foot flagship facility in Austin, Texas, processes between 12 and 15K tons of materials each month. Balcones believes the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the best classroom for recycling and environmental education. Join us to witness the range of technologies and separation strategies in use and learn more about our initiatives to increase sustainability efforts in our community. You’ll learn about how packaging is sorted for recycling, what makes packaging recyclable or not, and how the MRF fits into the larger supply chain that closes the loop on materials.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

9:25 am - 11:20 am (CDT)

Tour

Break it Down Austin

Offsite Tour Location

Break it Down provides composting and recycling services for roughly 800 businesses in the greater ATX. Starting in our front yard in 2009, we have eschewed traditional industry operations such as rear load compactor trucks and windrow composting, and instead built a system that combines both a higher service quality for our customers as well as the ability to generate higher value-added end products from the material collected. By employing batch dehydration of containerized waste streams, we are making dog food (theconsciouspet.life), fertilizers, and other products which are more valuable than the bulk compost amendments typically generated in an industrial compost operation. Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours

10:25 am - 12:20 pm (CDT)

Tour

FULL - Balcones Resources Group #2

Offsite Tour Location

THIS TOUR IS FULL
Balcones Resources is the largest independent recycler in the Southern US. The company's 100,000-square-foot flagship facility in Austin, Texas, processes between 12 and 15K tons of materials each month. Balcones believes the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the best classroom for recycling and environmental education. Join us to witness the range of technologies and separation strategies in use and learn more about our initiatives to increase sustainability efforts in our community. You’ll learn about how packaging is sorted for recycling, what makes packaging recyclable or not, and how the MRF fits into the larger supply chain that closes the loop on materials.

Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.

Evening Socials

Evening Socials

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Banger’s Austin sponsored by Amcor

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by Amcor, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Banger’s Austin will be held on the beautiful Ground Floor Deck. With 200+ beers on tap, 20+ homemade sausages Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden offers one of the Lone Star state’s most creative plays on comfort food favorites and Southern style. So join us for gourmet sausages washed down with craft brews in this red cottage setting for networking with your fellow attendees. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Evening Socials

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing sponsored by TC Transcontinental

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by TC Transcontinental, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing will be held in the Cool Store cozy barrel room & open-air picnic patio. This bright blue brewery on East Sixth Street has a well-curated cozy living room vibe with comfortable couches, antique rugs and warm woods throughout, serving English, Irish, Belgian or American old world-style beer and some fantastic street Tex Mex food. Attendees will get a chance to network in a trendy, casual atmosphere at one of Austin’s most respectedbreweries. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Evening Socials

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at The Brewtorium sponsored by Brook + Whittle

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by Brook & Whittle, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at The Brewtorium a new space in Austin to enjoycraft beers. The Brewtorium is a modern take on a German beer hall which is locally-owned and features award-winning house-brewed beer and modern pub cuisine. Brewtorium is a local favorite, so join us for the evening to connect with other attendees over a deliciousin-house brew. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Evening Socials

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Still Austin sponsored by UPM Raflatac

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by UPM Raflatac, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Still Austin Whiskey Co. will be held in the Tasting Room & Garden Bar. Still Austin is proud to be one of the only distilleries in Texas to source grains from local farmers, distilled ecologically in-house, and aged right here in the Texas Hill Country. Using local ingredients allows the creativity and individuality of Texas to shine through every sip. So join us for this unique networking event & kick back with a whiskey cocktail. This social has transport provided. The bus to take you to the venue will depart from the Conference Center Entrance on Whitis Ave. Please gather at the entrance at 5:30pm and check in with SPC staff there before boarding the bus. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by
Evening Socials

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Stubbs BBQ sponsored by Quad

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL

Hosted by Quad, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Stubb's Bar-B-Q will be held in the Liberty Lunch EventSpace. Stubbs is a legendary music venue and a must-see spot. More than a famous barbecue joint, thevenue’s namesake, C.B. Stubblefield, who opened his original Lubbock smokehouse in 1968. It was here that he first served his now world famous BBQ sauce. So join us for a real Texas experience with mouthwatering, slow smoked, authentic Texas barbecue in an historic 1850's limestone building. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

Sponsored by

Registration and Check-in is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm CT at the Registration Desk on Level 2

10:00 am CT 11:00 am CT 12:00 pm CT 1:00 pm CT 2:00 pm CT 3:00 pm CT 4:00 pm CT 5:00 pm CT 6:00 pm CT 7:00 pm CT 8:00 pm CT

10:00 am - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

Wicked Kitchen

10:30 am - 1:30 pm (CDT)

Austin Bouldering Project

Climbing Session at Austin Bouldering Project

1:15 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #1)

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 103

Recycled Material Standard: Introducing The RMS Participant Toolkit

Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Recycled Material Standard: Introducing The RMS Participant Toolkit

Classroom 103

The RMS is the most comprehensive third-party, chain of custody certification available for recycled materials. With many options allowed by the standard (e.g. average content claims, mass balance and ARCs) we’ve found that some companies are not quite sure where to start or what to expect during an audit. The standard also has some unique requirements related to defining product groups, due diligence and the overall management system. During this workshop we will share a compilation of materials designed to help supply chain members prepare for RMS certification. By working in concert with certified participants we have developed a full suite of templates, checklists and guidance documents to help supply chain members. So whether you are actively working to achieve certification, or just want to see what it might take – come join us for an interactive session. We also encourage brand owners to attend so that they can better appreciate the requirements expected of their certified suppliers. The RMS team would like to thank McDonald’s for their support in the development of The RMS Participant Toolkit.

Moderator

Elizabeth Ritch

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Laura Thompson

GreenBlue

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 203

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Plastics: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Future Directions

Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Plastics: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Future Directions

Classroom 203

Global production and consumption of plastics and its deposition in the environment are growing rapidly, while their life-cycle impacts to the environment are yet to be fully understood. This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge, literature, and data on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) focused on plastics’ environmental impacts. LCA has been instrumental in gaining new insights on the environmental implications of different products and plastics is not an exception. LCAs have also been widely employed in various comparative studies such as biomass v.s. petroleum-based plastics, single-use plastics v.s. multi-use alternatives. Global life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from plastics, for example, is estimated to be around 1.7 Gt CO2e yr-1, which is substantially larger than the GHG emissions from global aviation. We will discuss the current practices in plastics LCA, challenges, and areas of future work. This masterclass will be concluded with the group activity focused on identifying the future research needs in the domain of plastics LCA.

Moderator

Dr. Alyssa Harben

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Milena Rangelov

VitalMetrics

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Amphitheatre 204

Mind Shift: Narrowing the Gap Between Consumer Education, Intention and Action

Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Mind Shift: Narrowing the Gap Between Consumer Education, Intention and Action

Amphitheatre 204

When it comes to consumer education centered on sustainability choices and sustainable packaging, knowledge does not always equate with behavior change. Narrowing this “intention-action gap” is important not just for meeting corporate sustainability goals but also for the planet. How do we go from clear consumer education that ultimately transforms intentions into action?

Moderator

Paul Nowak

GreenBlue

Speaker

Brandi Parker

Parker Brands

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 301

2023 and Beyond for the Packaging Industry Leaders - What are the Priorities for Future Resilience and Excellence in Sustainability?

Monday, April 24

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm (CDT)

Presentation

2023 and Beyond for the Packaging Industry Leaders - What are the Priorities for Future Resilience and Excellence in Sustainability?

Classroom 301

The transformational change coming with sustainability will be unprecedented for the packaging industry. On top of that, inflation is a new reality and labor shortages are continuing. We suggest six key actions for industry participants to proactively consider in this revolutionary era and navigate these choppy waters.

Moderator

Tom Pollock

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Daniel Nordigaarden

McKinsey & Company

Speaker

David Feber

McKinsey & Company

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #1

2:15 pm - 4:15 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #2)

2:30 pm - 5:15 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

Fierce Whiskers Distillery Tour Presented by CarbonBetter

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 103

Additives and Compatibilizers for Improving PCR Properties

Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Presentation

Additives and Compatibilizers for Improving PCR Properties

Classroom 103

PCR continues to be in high demand by brands and packaging converters in order to meet sustainable packaging goals and public commitments. PCR properties are of key importance in packaging performance and product safeguard. In this session we will learn about additives and compatibilizers, how they work, what they can achieve and what is still needed in terms of technology development.

Moderator

Elizabeth Ritch

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Chris Ellison

The University of Minnesota

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 203

ISO Conformant LCAs: Everything You Need to Know

Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Workshop

ISO Conformant LCAs: Everything You Need to Know

Classroom 203

Are you ready to make public claims based on data from an LCA? ISO conformance doesn't have to be an intimidating process. This workshop will break down the process giving you the tools you need. You'll learn how ISO 14040 and 14044 govern the reporting and review process, what every report must provide, and how to engage in a third party panel review. Walk away equipped with the knowledge of ISO conformance for LCA to take your results to the next level.

Moderator

Alyssa Harben

GreenBlue

Speaker

Alison Crawley

Trayak

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Amphitheatre 204

Educating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Packaging and Recovery Industries

Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Fireside Chat

Educating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Packaging and Recovery Industries

Amphitheatre 204

In this fireside chat, we will have a discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved and currently looks like in the packaging and recovery industries. The past three years have brought opportunities to reflect where the packaging and recycling industries fall short in reaching social sustainability goals, and to celebrate the work that has been done to get closer to those goals. Implementing the policies and practices that create the structural changes required for equitable workplaces is a marathon, not a sprint. This conversation will include a discussion of the structural changes organizations have implemented to support racial justice, the role that education plays and address what work still needs to be done.

Moderator

Melissa Craig

Unilever

Speaker

Camille Corr Chism

Michigan State University

Speaker

Cheryl Coleman

ISRI

Speaker

Myra Foster

Sealed Air

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Classroom 301

A Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging in Consumer Goods

Monday, April 24

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

A Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging in Consumer Goods

Classroom 301

Most of the major fast-moving consumer goods companies have targeted packaging transformation to achieve circularity targets while reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Consumer goods companies that make the biggest strides will start by focusing on legislation, infrastructure, consumers and retailers, and technology, enabling them to better understand available solutions and direct their efforts accordingly. The approach helped one global beauty company pinpoint ways to reduce packaging GHG emissions by more than 40% in 2030 by using 20% less packaging material (among other moves).

Moderator

Tom Pollock

GreenBlue

Speaker

Abhijit Prabhu

Bain & Company

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm (CDT)

Offsite Tour Location

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #2

3:20 pm - 4:00 pm (CDT)

Grand Ballroom and Prefunction

Networking Break with Exhibitors

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Classroom 103

Real-time Data is Key to Making your Packaging Fit for Today and Tomorrow

Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Workshop

Real-time Data is Key to Making your Packaging Fit for Today and Tomorrow

Classroom 103

When it comes to packaging, sustainability is one of the primary considerations for all brands globally. However, it’s far from easy to manage such a complex area. There are thousands of materials that can be used for packaging – and when you add laminates, colors, coatings, additives and labels, that tally swiftly becomes hundreds of thousands. It is the historical reliance on inaccurate data based on market segment averages and the fact that we retrospectively report just annually which has led to the industry being in this unfortunate position. In this session we will help you understand how you can obtain real-time data and therefore develop a ‘responsible’ packaging strategy.

Moderator

Lucy Pierce

GreenBlue

Speaker

Greg Lawson

Aura

Speaker

Gillian Garside-Wight

Aura

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Classroom 203

Interpreting LCA Results to Meet Sustainable Packaging Goals

Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

Interpreting LCA Results to Meet Sustainable Packaging Goals

Classroom 203

This presentation will introduce an LCA case study which highlights how brands and packaging manufacturing companies can use the SPHERE framework and Plastic Leak Project guidelines to meet their sustainable packaging goals. The study demonstrates a holistic approach to making packaging decisions, covering all sustainability and circularity aspects of packaging. The quality of LCA results is dependent on data quality, goal and scope of a study, and the appropriate selection of impact assessment categories. The inclusion of appropriate metrics provides not only a packaging system perspective but also a market perspective to fully identify packaging system and market specific improvement opportunities. The presentation concludes with guidance on LCA results interpretation to help with multicriteria packaging decision making, either on a packaging portfolio level or for a specific product, to meet the sustainable packaging goals of a business.

Moderator

Dr. Alyssa Harben

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Mariya Absar

Quantis

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Amphitheatre 204

Shaping the Next Generation of Sustainable Packaging Professionals

Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Panel

Shaping the Next Generation of Sustainable Packaging Professionals

Amphitheatre 204

In this session we will hear from key Academic Institutions with Packaging, Engineering, Chemistry, Design and Environmental Science programs on the work they are doing to shape the next generation of sustainable packaging professionals to enter the workforce; how they are keeping up with industry trends, materials science innovation, the recovery system and next markets for recycled materials; the goals set by brands, the collective commitments and also their close involvement with industry in research projects and education opportunities.

Moderator

Paul Nowak

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Andrew Hurley

Clemson University

Speaker

Dr. Young Kim

Virginia Tech

Speaker

Camille Corr Chism

Michigan State University

Speaker

Sandy Krasovec

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Classroom 301

A Balancing Act: Tradeoffs and Conflicting Goals

Monday, April 24

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm (CDT)

Deep Dive

A Balancing Act: Tradeoffs and Conflicting Goals

Classroom 301

Sustainable Packaging Goals are often set in an all encompassing form: all packaging will be recyclable, compostable, will have x% of recycled content or will be reusable. But how do packaging and sustainability professionals delivering on these goals decide on which kind of goal to pursue for each packaging type or each brand portfolio? How can we implement a hierarchy of needs to make packaging design and decide on tradeoffs? How do you operationalize the work and the team? How to obtain business priority; leverage the data and strategize tapping into external resources? This level-setting session will address this topic and will also include an interactive part where attendees will get to analyze and rank their priorities, values and packaging types.

Moderator

Tom Pollock

GreenBlue

Speaker

Kim Carswell

GreenBlue

Speaker

Nina Goodrich

GreenBlue

Speaker

Dr. Laura Thompson

GreenBlue

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Offsite Evening Social Location

FULL - Evening Social at Banger’s Austin sponsored by Amcor

Monday, April 24

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Banger’s Austin sponsored by Amcor

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by Amcor, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Banger’s Austin will be held on the beautiful Ground Floor Deck. With 200+ beers on tap, 20+ homemade sausages Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden offers one of the Lone Star state’s most creative plays on comfort food favorites and Southern style. So join us for gourmet sausages washed down with craft brews in this red cottage setting for networking with your fellow attendees. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Offsite Evening Social Location

FULL - Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing sponsored by TC Transcontinental

Monday, April 24

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)

Evening Social

FULL - Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing sponsored by TC Transcontinental

Offsite Evening Social Location

THIS EVENING SOCIAL IS FULL
Hosted by TC Transcontinental, SPC Impact’s Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing will be held in the Cool Store cozy barrel room & open-air picnic patio. This bright blue brewery on East Sixth Street has a well-curated cozy living room vibe with comfortable couches, antique rugs and warm woods throughout, serving English, Irish, Belgian or American old world-style beer and some fantastic street Tex Mex food. Attendees will get a chance to network in a trendy, casual atmosphere at one of Austin’s most respectedbreweries. Food served at this social will be in keeping with the venue's style & local cuisine so will contain meat/animal products. RSVP required; registration is non-transferable

2023 Event Agenda

Monday, April 24

Registration and Check-in Open

Wicked Kitchen

Climbing Session at Austin Bouldering Project

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #1)

Recycled Material Standard: Introducing The RMS Participant Toolkit

Elizabeth Ritch

Dr. Laura Thompson

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Plastics: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Future Directions

Dr. Alyssa Harben

Dr. Milena Rangelov

Mind Shift: Narrowing the Gap Between Consumer Education, Intention and Action

Paul Nowak

Brandi Parker

2023 and Beyond for the Packaging Industry Leaders - What are the Priorities for Future Resilience and Excellence in Sustainability?

Tom Pollock

Dr. Daniel Nordigaarden

David Feber

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #1

Q2 Stadium, Home of Major League Soccer Team Austin FC (Group #2)

Fierce Whiskers Distillery Tour Presented by CarbonBetter

Additives and Compatibilizers for Improving PCR Properties

Elizabeth Ritch

Dr. Chris Ellison

ISO Conformant LCAs: Everything You Need to Know

Alyssa Harben

Alison Crawley

Educating for Diversity and Inclusion in the Packaging and Recovery Industries

Melissa Craig

Camille Corr Chism

Cheryl Coleman

Myra Foster

A Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging in Consumer Goods

Tom Pollock

Abhijit Prabhu

Exhibit Hall Open

FULL - Latest Generation Amazon Robotics Sortable Building Group #2

Networking Break with Exhibitors

Real-time Data is Key to Making your Packaging Fit for Today and Tomorrow

Lucy Pierce

Greg Lawson

Gillian Garside-Wight

Interpreting LCA Results to Meet Sustainable Packaging Goals

Dr. Alyssa Harben

Dr. Mariya Absar

Shaping the Next Generation of Sustainable Packaging Professionals

Paul Nowak

Dr. Andrew Hurley

Dr. Young Kim

Camille Corr Chism

Sandy Krasovec

A Balancing Act: Tradeoffs and Conflicting Goals

Tom Pollock

Kim Carswell

Nina Goodrich

Dr. Laura Thompson

FULL - Evening Social at Banger’s Austin sponsored by Amcor

FULL - Evening Social at Lazarus Brewing sponsored by TC Transcontinental

Tuesday, April 25

Registration and Check-in Open

Morning Yoga Session Sponsored by 48Forty Solutions

FULL - Texas Disposal Systems

Breakfast

Organics by Gosh

H-E-B at Mueller Store Tour

FULL - Balcones Resources Tour Group #1

How to Design to Be Inclusive of 1 Billion People

Lucy Pierce

Christina Mallon

Paper Recyclability Testing Project Results and Next Steps

Tom Pollock

Justin Schmitt

The Landscape of Policy and Legislation in Food-grade Recycled Plastics

Adam Gendell

Mitzi Clark

PRO 101: What a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) Can Do for You

Dr. Alyssa Harben

Ken Friesen

Paper Recyclability Testing, A Quick View from the Lab