Big Impact, Little Footprint: Packaging Industry Sustainability Careers

Big Impact, Little Footprint: Packaging Industry Sustainability Careers

Ashley Elzinga, Director, Sustainability & Outreach, Food Service Packaging Institute

Can you describe your role and how you feel it links to issues around sustainable packaging? 

With a role at a trade association, I am in a position to advance sustainability efforts for the foodservice packaging industry as a whole. A lot of my work focuses on the recovery of foodservice packaging. This includes working with recyclers, material recovery facilities (MRFs), and communities, along with our members (paper mills, resin manufacturers and converters), our members’ customers (brands and distributors) and allied groups in the sustainability space (such as AMERIPEN). Collaboration is a key part of foodservice packaging sustainability (and packaging in general) because no single company can enact broad change on their own.

What does a typical day look like for you? 

I have to say there is no “typical day” for me! During the spring and fall, you can find me traveling to most of the sustainability conferences both to further the work FPI is doing and to keep a pulse on sustainability trends. As you might imagine, a significant portion of my job is tied to ensuring our members have what they need to be succesful, which includes answering questions, providing sustainability resources, coordinating and reviewing reports, and creating social media content. I also meet regularly with allied groups on how our organizations can align to advance foodservice packaging recovery.

Can you share with a little about your career trajectory and what led you towards this role and an interest in sustainability? 

I’ve always had a love of nature and the outdoors. Growing up in Northern Michigan, there was no shortage of outdoor activities! I went to college for Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Sustainability. I interned at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment, EGLE) where I spent the majority of time in the water permitting department. Then I held small jobs after graduation until I accepted a role at Dart Container, which started my career in sustainability and the foodservice packaging industry.  During my time at Dart Container, I interacted with FPI as a member and believed in the organization's purpose. So when a position opened up, I was eager to join the team — and here we are today!

What skills do you think are most important for a role in sustainable packaging issues?

I think you need to be somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades, keen on collaboration and always learning. I also think it’s important to keep in mind that there can be multiple solutions. There is no silver bullet. One solution might work for a university, but might not work as well in a residential setting. When trying to make changes on such a large scale, realize that it will take time and unexpected obstacles may come up that you will need to adjust for and then continue forward toward the goal.

As an industry, where do you think packaging is making strides on sustainability and where do we still struggle?

I think the packaging industry is more creative and innovative than ever before. We are seeing new materials, new features and enhanced performance of packaging. The challenge is finding pathways for recovery and circularity (recyclable and/or compostable). Different packages are going to fit different needs, which is why we are working to solve for all of them. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing packaging sustainability right now? 

I think the biggest challenge is misinformation and confusion. There are a lot of conflicting messages and some companies are looking for one metric to track and communicate progress. Sustainability has a lot of nuanced details and that can get lost in the process of simplifying communications.

What is one common perception around packaging that you believe challenges the notion that packaging can be a tool for sustainability? 

I would challenge the perception that packaging is wasteful. If a customer receives their meal or drink in a safe, timely manner and enjoys their items, then the packaging has done its job. I think another prominent misconception is that foodservice packaging isn’t recoverable. This simply isn’t true. FPI has been working on advancing the recovery of foodservice packaging and we’ve been able to increase recycling access for these items for over 7 million households nationwide.

If you had one piece of advice for young professionals interested in sustainability, why should they consider the packaging industry? Your specific role? 

I’m in a unique position where I’m able to interact with a multitude of people, organizations and government entities to help inform an industry on sustainable practices, but also advance circularity. Packaging sustainability wasn’t initially on my radar after graduating, but I have been enjoying the opportunities, challenges and complexity this space has to offer. If you are someone who is looking for a sustainability career that is engaging, collaborative and rewarding, I suggest taking a look at the foodservice packaging industry.