[ad_1]
This weblog is a part of our deal with Cisco workers who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
At Cisco, packaging sustainability is a key facet of our technique to transition to a round enterprise mannequin. We do that by designing packaging that protects our merchandise whereas additionally minimizing environmental influence. This means utilizing much less supplies when potential and selecting extra sustainable supplies — resembling supplies that include recycled content material and are recyclable or reusable.
I just lately sat down with Nicole Kenney, Program Manager on the Packaging Engineering group, who focuses her work on packaging and materials circularity. Nicole has been in a position to analysis and handle initiatives to assist a variety of sustainability points associated to packaging.
What impressed you to pursue a profession in packaging sustainability, and the way did you find yourself at Cisco?
Nicole: Growing up, I used to be at all times in nature and continuously juggling a number of artwork initiatives. I knew I wished to do one thing artistic — that led me to the textile and attire business. After incomes my diploma in supplies and polymer science, I developed materials and packaging for out of doors efficiency attire and equipment. The out of doors business was one of many first to take part within the sustainability motion, and thru my work on sustainability initiatives, I noticed preserving nature was my objective.
You would possibly marvel in regards to the transition from attire merchandise to expertise {hardware}, however whatever the business, packaging challenges are common: the principle precedence is to guard the product. In a round economic system, the subsequent precedence is to contemplate the packaging’s end-of-life. These are the challenges I’ve loved tackling with our packaging engineering group at Cisco.
The factor I actually love about packaging is that everybody can relate to it. Whether we’re making a purchase order at a retailer or receiving a cargo at residence, packaging is part of our on a regular basis lives. It serves as an essential handshake between our model and our prospects, however to me, it additionally embodies the intersection of science, design, and psychology. When I got here throughout the open Program Manager function and noticed Cisco’s environmental technique, I used to be drawn to the problem.
How is Cisco integrating sustainability in its packaging?
Nicole: For our Packaging Engineering group, sustainability has advanced from a nice-to-have to an important requirement for each new product introduction. This shift in our course of is essentially because of Cisco’s implementation of its Circular Design Principles, which information us in integrating sustainability into all our outputs.
When it involves materials decisions, our packaging engineers are centered on decreasing foam use and discovering alternate options to plastic (or eliminating plastic altogether). Packaging optimization is one other space of focus; as an illustration, multi-packing can assist save supplies, which reduces value and environmental influence.
However, packaging sustainability varies enormously from one product to the subsequent. Our packaging engineers face a difficult job: there is no such thing as a set recipe for a extra round pack; relatively, it’s a balancing of a number of distinctive components. They should prioritize product safety, as a result of reshipping to interchange a broken product undermines sustainability. They additionally contemplate product quantity; if a product is high-volume, optimizing dice measurement for palletization effectivity is essential. The extra items that match on a pallet, the less pallets wanted for transport, which streamlines logistics and helps our company web zero technique.
Overall, we attempt to combine recycled content material, cut back plastic utilization, and allow packaging to take part in a round system.
What function does expertise play in advancing Cisco’s packaging sustainability efforts?
Nicole: When it involves expertise and packaging, supplies innovation is important to advancing packaging sustainability. Our Packaging Engineering group collaborates intently with our suppliers to rethink supplies from starting to finish, with a specific deal with fiber-based options.
Two examples of supplies innovation embrace fiber flute and paper modular cushions. These are each fiber-based cushioning techniques that we use as an alternative of standard foam. They are constituted of post-consumer recycled content material and, like corrugated cushions, are broadly accepted in present recycling infrastructure on the finish of their life cycle.
These new supplies assist contribute to our foam discount efforts. However, we’re not merely swapping them out; intensive collaboration happens in the course of the design and validation course of. Prototypes are created, match checks are carried out, and packaging assessments are carried out to make sure the brand new supplies added to our packaging toolkit meet each manufacturing and sustainability necessities.
What are some challenges you would possibly encounter and the way do you overcome them?
Nicole: One problem of decreasing packaging impacts is knowing how greatest to measure them. When it involves sustainability, greenhouse fuel emissions (GHG) are usually the first measure of environmental influence. However, analyzing the carbon footprint of Cisco’s merchandise, packaging accounts for 3% or much less of the manufacturing carbon footprint on common. Given this, Cisco’s Packaging Engineers preserve the carbon footprint in thoughts, however design for recyclability to divert waste from landfill and assist the round economic system.
Another problem is discovering protecting supplies that may meet our international provide chain calls for and are regionally accessible. Exciting materials improvements resembling mushroom foam or bio-based plastics typically spark curiosity, however continuity in sourcing and provide could be troublesome. It’s additionally difficult to make sure that correct restoration infrastructure for these new supplies is offered within the markets the place we promote our merchandise. Those sorts of fabric improvements are sometimes higher suited to different product varieties, resembling meals or client packaged items.
At Cisco, we design our packaging to be separable and recyclable. Most of our packaging is fiber-based corrugated board which meets these necessities. However, we can’t management which bin our prospects will use for packaging waste disposal. Recycling infrastructure varies enormously from city to city, each within the US and globally. This fragmentation poses the subsequent problem: the best way to educate our prospects on the easiest way to handle packaging waste. We need prospects to make knowledgeable choices about disposal after receiving our merchandise. To tackle this, we now have begun to launch merchandise with easy however informative messaging to assist them perceive what to do with their packaging waste.
What future developments do you see in packaging sustainability?
Nicole: A efficiently scaled round economic system requires collaboration between the enterprise sector, shoppers, and authorities. Among them, every entity has a significant function to play in driving sustainability. We’ve noticed corporations striving to supply extra sustainable options. Consumers are more and more looking for extra sustainable choices, evidenced by their buying decisions. Now, we’re seeing a surge of collaboration among the many three entities.
As a company, we’re conscious that governments and the non-public sector are prioritizing circularity, and we acknowledge that this has an influence on our prospects. This is an thrilling time as a result of we’re partaking with our prospects on packaging sustainability greater than ever earlier than. They are keen to know our packaging roadmap, and we’re equally excited about theirs. There’s a robust willingness to share, perceive, and collaborate, making it an exhilarating time.
This development offers me hope that as we work collectively, the round economic system is achievable throughout our enterprise ecosystem.
You can study extra about our packaging objectives in Cisco’s Purpose Reporting Hub.
Share: