The winners of the 2023 Sustainability Awards were announced at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam, and for the first time in Sustainability Awards history, joint winners took home prizes in two of the categories.
The 2023 Sustainability Awards winners:
Overall
The overall winner also was the successful nominee under the Machinery category; AMP Robotics won both awards for AMP Vortex, its AI-powered automation system for film removal and recovery in recycling facilities.
Wiliot also was recognized for its Ambient IoT Visibility Platform. Its battery-free, stamp-sized connectors, or IoT Pixels, transmit information – e.g., location, temperature, humidity, and carbon footprint – at an item level and enable connection throughout the supply chain.
Best Practice
This award went to Pepsi in China. The company has streamlined recycling and cut down on the carbon footprint of its multipack PET bottles by removing their plastic labels and ceasing to print their caps.
Climate
Taking home the top prize in this category is SIG’s packaging material, which does not require an aluminium layer to provide the same barrier properties as a foil-lined solution. It removes the most carbon-intensive component of an aseptic carton pack, features a high renewable share, and is designed for easy recycling.
Driving the Circular Economy
Berry Global's, which combine paint and packaging recovery and recycling, won this category. The solution involves the removal and re-engineering of leftover paint from an empty container, resulting in clean, recycle-ready cans and new paint.
E-commerce
Flöter Verpackungs-Service GmbH and AirWave Packaging’s PaperWave Box won this award. PaperWave is FSC-certified and made of 100% recyclable paper with a starch barrier. It is both recyclable and compostable.
Recyclable Packaging
This award went to Kraft Heinz for its mono-material Balaton dispensing closure, designed to ensure the recyclability of the whole bottle, including the cap, and replace around 300 million non-recyclable silicone valves annually.
Renewable Materials
Procter & Gamble won for its ECOLIC Box for Ariel liquid laundry capsules. Containing 70% recycled content, the box brings together recyclability, safety, and a design geared towards an inclusive consumer experience while replacing the standard plastic container.
Active and Intelligent
The first set of double winners came under this category. Fyllar’s mess-free smart refill solution is designed to facilitate a clean, efficient, and low-cost refill experience, cutting out the shortcomings of traditional refill methods and redefining the use and perception of packaging.
