On March 3, Sonoco FRESH hosted a virtual event, “FRESH Perspectives on Sustainability,” that featured leaders from three global corporations who shared how their companies are addressing sustainability throughout the food value chain. Also included in the event were presentations from Clemson faculty and students and updates on upcoming events, including the FRESH 2022 Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit.
The Shifts Creating Ripples Across Food & Agriculture
Rob Dongoski, Partner, Global Agribusiness Industry Leader, Ernst & Young LLP
Rob Dongoski provided a look into the trends driving change across the industry, what consumer behaviors are reshaping food and agriculture and what should be considered to position for growth. Rob’s presentation was a precursor to a more in-depth look at the reimagined food system that he will be presenting during the FRESH Summit in September.
Developing and Testing Packaging of the Future
Clemson Faculty and Students
Dr. Andrew Hurley and his students described the work on a project sponsored by Titan Farms on The Peach Package of the Future. Dr. Greg Batt and one of his students then provided an introduction to Clemson’s ISTA-certified Packaging Dynamics Lab and showed how the lab is leveraged to prepare the next generation of packaging scientists for a rapidly changing distribution environment.
Inspiring Positive Change for People and the Planet
David Allen, Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo Foods North America
PepsiCo has recently introduced PEP+ (PEP Positive), a strategic end-to-end transformation to drive sustainable long-term value and competitive advantage. David Allen described how this initiative is changing the way PepsiCo is sourcing ingredients, making and selling products, improving packaging sustainability and inspiring people through its brands.
Developing Purpose Driven Leaders of the Future
Clemson Faculty and Students
Dr. Anastasia Thyroff and Katie Hildebrand described their innovative approaches to engaging students and industry to explore consumer behaviors and brand responsibility during this snapshot of marketing research and education at Clemson University. Several of their students joined them to describe some of the research being conducted to provide data points on consumer attitudes about sustainability.
Hundred X: Digital Technologies & Transformations to Enable Sustainable Goals
Sandeep Dadlani, Chief Digital Officer, Mars, Incorporated
Sandeep Dadlani’s presentation illustrated how the Mars digital transformation to accelerate the Mars Purpose by shaping the world we want tomorrow by empowering associates to create value 100x faster today came to life. He also highlighted how Mars is digitizing its supply chain and how the digital transformation is contributing to the Mars commitment to achieve net zero GHG emissions in its full value chain by 2050.
Sonoco FRESH will be hosting the second annual Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit at Clemson University on Sept. 19 – 21, 2022. Register today at www.SonocoFRESHSummit.com.
