4evergreen, the European value chain alliance focused on increasing fibre-based packaging’s recycling rate, has named a new leadership team to help further its aims.

This includes Sarah Price as its new chair and Andreas Walser in the role of co-chair. Ms Price is currently director of sustainability at Sappi, having joined the substrate manufacturer as sustainability manager back in 2018. Prior to that, she spent nearly a decade at timber industry certification body PEFC, in the role of head of projects and development. She was also the previous co-chair for 4evergreen, leading the strategic work of the alliance.

Mr Walser has spent that past 15 years managing Hamburger Recycling, part of the Prinzhorn Group with a focus on the collection, treatment, trade and transport of secondary raw materials. This experience is noted as giving him ‘unique and valuable’ experience of innovations in recycling and a mindset that all fibre-based packaging, when properly collected and sorted, can be recycled.

Their respective experiences mean it is hoped that Ms Price and Mr Walser will help drive 4evergreen’s strategy towards ‘perfecting fibre-based packaging circularity’, from the design and manufacture phase to the collection, sorting and recycling of packaging materials. 4evergreen is building a toolbox to move fibre-based packaging towards a 90% recycling rate by 2030. This is part of its overarching aim to have 100% of collected fibre-based packaging recycled.

Ms Price said, ‘We have made great progress in finalising our toolbox for fibre packaging circularity. In 2024, we want to ensure that we continue to perfect these tools and make them known and available to as many packaging stakeholders as possible.’

Mr Walser commented, ‘These will be pivotal years for the European fibre packaging sector, with major new European policy making its way into national law. With our value chain approach, the 4evergreen alliance can ensure that the fibre-based industry remains the sustainable choice as these changes come into effect.’

In addition to its new chairs, 4evergreen has elected a new steering group for 2024 to ensure that the alliance’s overall strategy is ‘diligently followed’. The 2024 steering group is made up of names from across the fibre packaging value chain, and includes: Natasha Chorlton, Ahlstrom; Thomas Schiele, BASF; Thierry Robert, Bobst; John Melia, DS Smith; Bernhard Kainz, Dow; Mike Turner, Graphic Packaging International; David Guerin, L’Oréal; Markku Leskelä, Metsä Group; Rob Hoitink, Nestlé; Jürgen Dornheim, Procter & Gamble; Andreas Helbig, SEDA; Daniel Drochner, Siegwerk; Marc Van der Velden, Smurfit Kappa; Maija Aho, Stora Enso; Heike Schiffler, Tetra Pak; and Anthony Johnson, Unilever.

In addition, all members of 4evergreen have agreed to extend the lifetime of the alliance until the end of 2026. As well as the above members of the alliance’s 2024 steering group, 4evergreen’s membership has included and continues to include the likes of Amazon, Amcor, Apple, Avery Dennison, Constantia Flexibles, Danone, Heidelberg, Henkel, HP, Ikea, Kellanova, Koenig & Bauer, Lego, Mars, McDonalds, Pepsico, UPm and WestRock.