This weblog is a part of our concentrate on Cisco staff who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
At Cisco, packaging sustainability is a key side of our technique to transition to a round enterprise mannequin. We do that by designing packaging that protects our merchandise whereas additionally minimizing environmental affect. This implies utilizing much less supplies when potential and selecting extra sustainable supplies — akin to supplies that comprise recycled content material and are recyclable or reusable.
I not too long ago sat down with Nicole Kenney, Program Supervisor 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 help 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: Rising up, I used to be at all times in nature and consistently juggling a number of artwork initiatives. I knew I needed to do one thing artistic — that led me to the textile and attire trade. 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 trade was one of many first to take part within the sustainability motion, and thru my work on sustainability initiatives, I spotted preserving nature was my goal.
You would possibly marvel in regards to the transition from attire merchandise to know-how {hardware}, however whatever the trade, packaging challenges are common: the primary precedence is to guard the product. In a round financial system, the following precedence is to think about 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 or not 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 clients, however to me, it additionally embodies the intersection of science, design, and psychology. Once I got here throughout the open Program Supervisor position 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 developed from a nice-to-have to a vital requirement for each new product introduction. This shift in our course of is basically as a result of Cisco’s implementation of its Round Design Ideas, which information us in integrating sustainability into all our outputs.
With regards to materials decisions, our packaging engineers are centered on lowering 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 might help save supplies, which reduces price and environmental affect.
Nonetheless, packaging sustainability varies drastically from one product to the following. Our packaging engineers face a difficult job: there isn’t a set recipe for a extra round pack; moderately, it’s a balancing of a number of distinctive elements. They need to prioritize product safety, as a result of reshipping to interchange a broken product undermines sustainability. Additionally they take into account product quantity; if a product is high-volume, optimizing dice measurement for palletization effectivity is essential. The extra models that match on a pallet, the less pallets wanted for delivery, which streamlines logistics and helps our company web zero technique.
General, we try to combine recycled content material, scale back plastic utilization, and allow packaging to take part in a round system.
What position does know-how play in advancing Cisco’s packaging sustainability efforts?
Nicole: With regards to know-how and packaging, supplies innovation is crucial to advancing packaging sustainability. Our Packaging Engineering group collaborates carefully with our suppliers to rethink supplies from starting to finish, with a specific concentrate on fiber-based options.
Two examples of supplies innovation embody fiber flute and paper modular cushions. These are each fiber-based cushioning techniques that we use as an alternative of typical foam. They’re comprised 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. Nonetheless, we’re not merely swapping them out; in depth collaboration happens through 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 lowering packaging impacts is knowing how greatest to measure them. With regards to sustainability, greenhouse gasoline emissions (GHG) are usually the first measure of environmental affect. Nonetheless, 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 help the round financial system.
One other problem is discovering protecting supplies that may meet our world provide chain calls for and are regionally out there. Thrilling materials improvements akin to mushroom foam or bio-based plastics typically spark curiosity, however continuity in sourcing and provide will be troublesome. It’s additionally difficult to make sure that correct restoration infrastructure for these new supplies is out there within the markets the place we promote our merchandise. These sorts of fabric improvements are sometimes higher fitted to different product varieties, akin to 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. Nonetheless, we can’t management which bin our clients will use for packaging waste disposal. Recycling infrastructure varies drastically from city to city, each within the US and globally. This fragmentation poses the following problem: the right way to educate our clients on one of the best ways to handle packaging waste. We wish clients to make knowledgeable choices about disposal after receiving our merchandise. To handle this, now we 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 financial system requires collaboration between the enterprise sector, shoppers, and authorities. Amongst them, every entity has a significant position to play in driving sustainability. We’ve noticed corporations striving to supply extra sustainable options. Shoppers 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 an organization, we’re conscious that governments and the non-public sector are prioritizing circularity, and we acknowledge that this has an affect on our clients. That is an thrilling time as a result of we’re partaking with our clients on packaging sustainability greater than ever earlier than. They’re keen to grasp our packaging roadmap, and we’re equally thinking about theirs. There’s a robust willingness to share, perceive, and collaborate, making it an exhilarating time.
This development provides me hope that as we work collectively, the round financial system is achievable throughout our enterprise ecosystem.
You possibly can be taught extra about our packaging objectives in Cisco’s Goal Reporting Hub.
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