Sustainability report - Informing

Historically, consumers interested in sustainability have mainly focused on understanding the environmental characteristics of a product.

As Amcor innovates to design the future of packaging, it is essential that we also work to educate our customers and consumers so they can make responsible, fact-based purchasing decisions.

While access to waste management infrastructure is necessary to delivering responsible packaging, it alone is not sufficient. Vitally important to achieving the best end-of- use outcomes for packaging is giving consumers the information that empowers them to use that infrastructure correctly.

This is not something that Amcor can achieve on our own. We need the whole value chain to engage in informing consumers about how to play their part in ensuring that the end of their packaging’s use is not the end of that packaging’s life. In particular, brand owners will need to find simpler and more human ways of communicating recyclability to their consumers if we are to succeed.

Amcor is committed to supporting our customers in this quest by sharing our deep knowledge and understanding of what motivates consumers to engage in good waste management.

We all want packaging that protects the products we need and value but that does not have a detrimental impact on the environment. Amcor’s sustainability strategy is premised on achieving this through our three pillars – innovating, collaborating, and informing. It is critical that the whole value chain redoubles its efforts to support and inform consumers about the role that they can play in solving the problem of waste leakage.

To ensure consumers play their role in reducing plastic waste, it is vital to understand their attitudes toward sustainability, the environment, and their role in protecting it.

In June 2020, Amcor released the findings of a large consumer research project focused on sustainability in our European markets. This research looked at consumer attitudes about climate change, plastic pollution, and other environmental issues, and demonstrated the often-confusing and misunderstood links between these environmental concerns and packaging.

The results of the study showed that today’s shoppers are more aware than ever of the impact of their choices and they want products that align with their values. This is reflected in what they expect of brands when it comes to more sustainable packaging, with growing concern around reducing resource consumption and minimizing waste, all while still protecting product quality.

As we collaborate with brands to meet consumers’ increasing expectations for packaging, we believe it is essential to provide them with tangible findings from our research to influence packaging strategy and action. Brands can take bold steps to ensure their sustainability credentials are more broadly understood, and in turn create real impact by positively influencing brand perception and changing consumer behavior.

Our research led to several important findings to help Amcor and our customers inform consumers on the topic of responsible packaging:

• Despite the fact that the majority of consumers are highly engaged around sustainability, many struggle to change their consumption patterns to better reflect their values. Consumers’ desire to act sustainably can be supported by convenience and clear information.
• Most consumers believe reducing the carbon footprint of packaging is equally important to it being recyclable. Clear, on-pack claims can help directly link carbon footprint reduction to the fight against global warming.
• Consumers believe recyclable packaging should be the industry standard. Across the respondents surveyed, 83% of consumers say they check the pack instructions to know how to dispose of empty food packaging and what bin it should go in.
• Consumers don’t need more information – they need better information that will help them achieve the sustainable outcomes they want. For example, while nearly half of consumers surveyed said compostable packaging would positively influence their purchasing decision, less than one-third could correctly identify the symbol for compostable packaging.

Amcor engages in a range of regional partnerships focused on reaching brands and consumers in the markets in which our packaging is sold.

These partnerships can take many forms, such as providing education and recycling equipment directly to consumers, teaching consumers where to find recycling locations, and empowering local industry to have an active voice in waste goals and policies. Below are some examples of the regional partnerships in which Amcor is engaged. A full list of partnerships
is available in the Appendix to this Report.

At the end of the day, Amcor’s 47,000+ co-workers around the globe are also consumers and community members.

We believe it is imperative to create opportunities to help our people learn about and feel connected to our work around responsible packaging, and want them to be informed and inspired to share this knowledge with their families, friends, and communities.

The International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), an initiative of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Alliance, is one important way we achieve this.

Each September, thousands of Amcor people from around the world come together for this global day of service to remove waste from their communities.

Many invite family, friends, and community members to join in the cleanup. In addition to removing pollution from the environment, ICC events create an opportunity to build awareness about recycling, the responsible disposal
of packaging, and how to be stronger stewards of the environment.

In September 2019, Amcor set a new company record for participation in the ICC. Nearly 100 Amcor sites from 30 countries held ICC events in their local communities. Over 4,000 participants collected approximately 27,000 kg of trash from beaches, rivers, local parks, and even some Amcor sites.