A few of our past attendees:

LEARN what the most important issues are in packaging sustainability

EXPERIENCE the most current ways of thinking about these issues

GET INSPIRED by the ways in which others are addressing these issues

LEAVE ARMED with the tools to push packaging sustainability forward in your company

What will I learn at SPC Impact?

Conference Opening Plenary

Expanding opportunities within planetary boundaries; how social, environmental and economic principles have evolved in sustainability; getting inspired by new ideas for a changing landscape; redesigning materials to create regenerative packaging; circularity, systems thinking and resilience will be some of the concepts we will start our conference with. We will hear from thinkers and doers on how they have approached these challenges and how did their journeys lead them to where they are today.

Moving Towards Cooperative Reverse Supply Chains in Fashion, Apparel and Retail

In this session we will learn about reverse supply chains and how they differ from a forward supply chain. What role does packaging have in reverse supply chains? Can packaging help to streamline the process? What happens to packaging sent to return a product in e-commerce in a reverse supply chain and a return in a brick and mortar retail environment?

How can brick and mortar retailers have circular systems to recapture packaging? How is sustainability evolving in reverse supply chains? We will also hear from brands that have developed innovative uses of circular economy.

Knowledge Cafe: Sustainable Forest Products Sourcing

We rely on forests every day for an incredible array of environmental, social, and economic benefits. Choosing a material that when managed responsibly can help combat climate change, clean our air and water, and provide a home for wildlife is an amazing opportunity for any business, but one that is not always well understood. This Knowledge Cafe will help attendees 1) understand the most important factors to consider when sourcing forest products, and 2) understand how their sourcing strategies and not merely mitigating risk, but have the power for real conservation impacts!

Leveraging The Advantages of Bioplastics: Performance, Technical Benefits and Functionality

Bioplastics have proven environmental benefits, from sourcing to end of life. For 2018, we want to evolve the conversation to focus on the users and developers perspective on renewable & biobased materials based on their performance, technical benefits and functionality and where do bioplastics fit in moving forward and ultimately, how can brands leverage their attributes and advantages in their products.

E-commerce and the changing retail environment landscape

The primary goal of packaging for e-commerce is to protect the product while at the same time, preventing the sustainability repercussions of damage. The e-commerce landscape varies significantly from region to region; as well as frequency of shipments, quantity and type of products – in this session we will learn of the experience coming from other regions; how is e-commerce impacting brands and how the logistics infrastructure is evolving to accommodate this rapidly growing market.

New this year! An Ideas Lab hosted by SPC and YFYJupiter at their brand new West Coast Design Center to tackle the challenges of e-commerce user experience, how to meet the expectations of the online experience vs. the physical experience when the product arrives. How do we solve the amount of packaging given to the consumer. What’s more important, speed or sustainability?

Compostable Packaging and Organics Diversion: Policy Insights from the West Coast

To kick-start organics collection programs in both residential and commercial contexts, policy is often discussed as a mission-critical tool. But policy is incredibly nuanced and used loosely, it can cause unintended consequences. Learn how cities, municipalities, and states along the West Coast have thoughtfully used policy to achieve precise interventions and motivate specific sectors in the past and how policy and Compostable Packaging will play roles in moving organics collection from ‘good’ to ‘great’.

GAIN NEW CONNECTIONS that will help, reinforce, and inspire your work and career

We will have interactive workshops and masterclasses; engaging panels and presentations; inspiring keynotes; tours and offsite events; time to connect with old and new friends and contacts; and the opportunity to learn about a plethora of topics.