Confoil views sponsorship of the Evolution awards as an ideal opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to environmental issues and sustainable packaging while promoting and recognising other company initiatives and achievements in the area of environmental governance.
“The Evolution awards provide a public forum to share ideas and innovations, giving public recognition and acknowledgment to those outstanding achievements,” says Marketing project officer Lynda Rogers.
“All companies can learn from the success and achievements of others.”
“Confoil is committed to taking the necessary action to minimise the impact of its daily operations on the environment and gives a high priority to environmental considerations when making short term and long term decisions,” Rogers quotes.
“With this statement underpinning the company’s environmental philosophy, Confoil identified and recognised the benefits associated with becoming a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant in 2002.
“Confoil also signed up to the NPC Mark II in 2005,” says Lynda Rogers, “so reaped the rewards not only from an environmental standing but also commercially, benefiting from cost reductions, efficiency gains and from a marketing perspective.”
According to Rogers, the key benefit for Confoil of becoming a voluntary signatory to the NPC has been the ability to set objectives and establish targets in terms of the company’s environmental policy.
“This course of action challenged all departments to audit current processes and modify and instigate initiatives that would benefit the company and further our environmental agenda,” she says.
“Communication was sent to suppliers and customers notifying them of Confoil’s commitment to the NPC and inviting them to join Confoil on the journey and to consider the products, services and opportunities offered to Confoil.”
“Confoil continues to actively promote the Covenant and its environmental stance in all literature and online marketing,” Rogers says.
“As a well respected Australian owned company, a core focus for Confoil is to communicate, educate and raise awareness amongst our suppliers and customers who in turn are encouraged to promote it to their business base.”
Confoil reviews and revises its policies and operating procedures periodically, in line with the latest developments and findings on environmental issues, waste minimisation and recycling.
“Reviews focus on all aspects of the company’s business activities; product design and development, recycling and disposal, warehouse and distribution efficiencies and education and community awareness,” Rogers says.
Striving for continual improvement with emphasis on waste minimisation, recycling and energy consumption, Confoil’s major achievements over the past 12 months have seen a 16.5 per cent reduction in landfill waste from the previous year, an increase in recycling rates for all primary and secondary scrap materials used in production and an improvement in energy utilisation in the production facility.
A systematic, continual maintenance program of tooling and machinery together with significant investment in new technology and capital equipment has provided Confoil with opportunities to conserve resources and reduce waste.
“The development and installation of state of the art tooling technology has led to a reduction in manufacturing waste.” says Rogers.
“A recent upgrade to our scrap systems has resulted in significant increases in the utilisation of scrap and improvements in labour efficiencies.”
“New procedures have been implemented throughout all departments for assembling and assorting waste for collection by outside contractors resulting in less waste to landfill,” Rogers adds.
“Recognising the value of purchasing recycled goods and material as a positive contribution to a sustainable future, Confoil is now also governed by a ‘Buy Recycle Policy’.”
Strong relationships with customers allows Confoil the opportunity to regularly advise on the configuration of packaging lines, materials handling systems and maintain equipment to handle Confoil product, such as denesters and depositors.
“Confoil also works with customers to streamline ordering processes, minimise stock holdings and advise on innovative food packaging which assists in taking costs out of their production and inventory,” Rogers says.
“Good customer communication allows Confoil to explore opportunities to consolidate freight loadings and delivery schedules to better utilise transport.”
“Innovative ways to manage waste commence with inventive design,” Rogers says.
“The adoption of the Environmental Code of Practice (ECoPP) ensures this process commences from the conception of a new project and may include; design of scrapless tooling, down gauging raw material whilst retaining the strength and integrity of the container, optimising carton utilisation and maximising logistic savings by effective freight management.”
“The covenant has been critical in providing the framework necessary to form a cohesive and managed approach to packaging waste management,” Rogers says.
“Confoil recognises that customers and suppliers are driving similar environmental initiatives.”
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor the ‘Most Innovative Solution in Packaging Waste Management’ in the Packaging Magazine’s annual Evolution Awards, which recognises and rewards brand owner excellence in packaging waste management.”
Have you got some great packaging waste reduction projects?
Are you a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant?
Enter the Evolution Awards now: email anna.game-lopata@reedbusiness.com.au to find out how.
Hurry! Entries close June 6th.
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