For many packaging businesses, sustainability has traditionally been viewed as a compliance issue. Something to keep up with changing legislation, reduce waste or improve operational efficiency. While those benefits remain important, sustainability is increasingly becoming something else entirely: a competitive advantage.

Today, customers want to know that the businesses they work with share their values, understand their environmental responsibilities and are actively working to reduce their impact.

As more organisations develop their own sustainability strategies, they are looking beyond price and quality when selecting suppliers. Increasingly, procurement teams want evidence that suppliers are managing their environmental impact, measuring carbon emissions and taking meaningful action to improve.

For packaging producers, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Sustainability is moving into the supply chain

For many large organisations, the greatest contributor to their carbon footprint isn't their buildings or company vehicles, it's their supply chain.

As businesses work towards ambitious environmental targets, they are asking more questions of the organisations they buy from. Whether supplying retailers, manufacturers or the public sector, packaging businesses are increasingly being asked to demonstrate their environmental credentials as part of procurement processes.

This isn't simply about ticking a compliance box. Customers want confidence that their suppliers are resilient, responsible and committed to continual improvement.
Businesses that can provide clear evidence of their environmental performance are often better placed to:

• strengthen tender submissions
• retain existing customers
• build trust with new clients
• differentiate themselves from competitors

Good environmental management makes good business sense

Preparing for customer sustainability requests doesn't need to mean creating complex reports or employing dedicated sustainability teams.

Many businesses find that implementing a structured Environmental Management System (EMS) helps them organise the information they increasingly need while also delivering operational benefits.

Frameworks such as Investors in the Environment (iiE) help organisations understand where they use energy, produce waste and consume resources, creating opportunities to reduce costs while improving environmental performance.

Businesses regularly identify savings through:

• reduced energy consumption
• improved waste management
• better resource efficiency
• more informed purchasing decisions
• improved employee engagement

These improvements don't just reduce environmental impact, they often improve profitability too.

Evidence matters more than intentions

Customers are increasingly looking for evidence rather than aspirations. For example, having clear environmental policies, measurable objectives and recognised accreditation provides reassurance that sustainability is embedded within a business rather than existing as a marketing statement.

External accreditations such as Investors in the Environment can help businesses demonstrate that they have robust environmental management processes in place while providing a framework for continual improvement.

For SMEs, this structured approach can be particularly valuable, helping businesses respond confidently to customer questionnaires, procurement requirements and growing requests for environmental data without creating unnecessary administration.

Future-proofing your business

Sustainability expectations are unlikely to decrease. Supply chain reporting, environmental legislation and customer expectations continue to evolve, meaning businesses that start preparing now will be better placed to respond to future requirements.

The businesses that will succeed won't necessarily be those with the biggest sustainability teams. They'll be the ones that can clearly demonstrate progress, provide credible evidence and continually improve.
Sustainability is no longer simply about reducing environmental impact. Increasingly, it's helping businesses win work, strengthen customer relationships and build resilience for the future.

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More Information

At Genee, we work with Wastepack members to help them develop practical environmental management systems through Investors in the Environment. By taking a structured approach, businesses can improve efficiency, reduce costs and demonstrate the environmental credentials that customers are increasingly looking for.

Genee Consulting Ltd is the Northern Delivery Partner for Investors in the Environment. To find out more about the accreditation and how Genee can support your sustainability journey, contact us at jo@genee.org.uk.

Sustainability means different things to different people, and often, those motivations vary depending on where someone sits within an organisation.

For leadership teams, sustainability may be closely linked to company values, long-term resilience and meeting growing stakeholder expectations. Marketing and communications teams may focus more on reputation, public perception and how sustainability strengthens the organisation’s brand. HR teams may see it as an important part of attracting and retaining talent, particularly as more employees want to work for organisations whose values align with their own.

Department-by-Department Perspective

Meanwhile, operational and facilities teams often engage with sustainability from a more practical perspective. Here, the focus may be on efficiency, reducing waste and identifying cost savings. Procurement teams may look at supply chains and responsible sourcing, while finance teams may be interested in risk reduction and long-term value. The key is understanding how to frame sustainability in ways that matter to different audiences.

For operational teams, that might mean demonstrating how reducing waste and energy use can improve efficiency and lower costs. For marketing teams, it may be about communicating achievements through social media, press coverage and client engagement. For employees, it could be about creating opportunities to contribute ideas and be part of positive change within the organisation.

Where Sustainability Goals Align

Importantly, these motivations are not mutually exclusive. Sustainability is wide ranging and often delivers benefits across all these areas at once. Reducing resource use can cut costs while also reducing environmental impact. Strong sustainability credentials can improve reputation while helping businesses meet customer and supply chain expectations. A visible commitment to sustainability can strengthen company culture and staff engagement at the same time.

A Structured Approach to Sustainability

The challenge for many organisations is knowing how to bring all these strands together in a meaningful and manageable way. This is where frameworks such as Investors in the Environment can provide real value.

Its staged approach recognises that organisations are at different points in their sustainability journey and supports continual improvement rather than expecting perfection from day one. iiE takes a holistic view, looking not only at resource management and operational efficiency, but also at how sustainability is reflected in policies, culture, staff engagement and external communications. Accreditation also gives organisations a credible way to communicate their environmental impact externally, helping demonstrate commitment to clients, stakeholders and wider audiences.

As part of the process, organisations receive a detailed audit report with feedback across different areas of the business. This can then be used to shape ongoing action plans, identify opportunities for improvement and support long-term progress rather than one-off initiatives.

Engaging Employees Across the Organisation

Engaging staff across different teams and departments is also a key part of building a successful sustainability culture. To support this, iiE has partnered with Stickerbook, a micro-learning platform designed to make sustainability easy and enjoyable for teams to engage with. Through short, accessible learning modules, staff can explore sustainability topics that may sit outside their usual job roles, helping build wider understanding across the organisation. The platform also uses friendly competition and shared challenges to keep engagement high, giving organisations another way to connect sustainability to the different motivations that exist across teams whether that is operational efficiency, personal values, innovation or organisational reputation.

Ultimately, sustainability is not just about carbon, waste or compliance. It is about culture. When organisations understand what motivates different departments and stakeholders, sustainability stops feeling like an obligation and starts becoming part of how people work, communicate and make decisions every day.

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More Information

Genee Consulting Ltd is the Northern Delivery Partner for Investors in the Environment. To find out more about the accreditation, contact us at jo@genee.org.uk.

Andy Thornton Ltd is a leading supplier of furniture to the hospitality industry, complemented by a thriving metalwork department and an antiques division specialising in reclaimed architectural pieces. Operating from a historic ironworks building, the company has embedded sustainability into its operations, achieving significant waste reduction while championing circular economy principles.

With multiple waste streams and large-scale furniture production, Andy Thornton faced the challenge of reducing overall waste, improving segregation, and ensuring recyclable materials were diverted from general waste. The company also sought to minimise packaging and reuse materials wherever possible.

Structured Waste Management and Circular Practices

Key actions included:

• Segregation and Infrastructure: Introducing clear waste streams for plastic, cardboard, wood, metal, confidential and general waste, supported by staff training and new recycling stations.
• Plastic Reduction: Installing water fountains and encouraging the use of reusable bottles to cut single-use plastics.
• Supplier Engagement: Requesting suppliers to use cardboard rather than plastic packaging.
• Reuse Initiatives: Repurposing pallets internally to reduce wood waste, and reusing foam and plastic for dispatch protection.
• Specialist Recycling: Partnering with local metal recyclers for rebates and working with waste brokers to manage the more complex streams.
• Compliance: Handling confidential waste securely in line with GDPR.
• Circular Economy Leadership: Continuing the company’s heritage of reclaiming and restoring antique architectural pieces for reuse in hospitality projects.

Impact

Comparing 2024 to 2022, Andy Thornton achieved:

• Total Waste Reduction: Nearly 40%.
• Recycled Waste Reduction: 41.36%.
• General Waste Reduction: 31.52%.

Also:

• Wood RORO skip changed only once in a year due to pallet reuse.
• Cardboard rebates reinvested into the local community via Elland Community Events Committee.
• Ongoing restoration of antique fittings prevents tonnes of materials from entering the waste stream, extending product lifespans by decades.

Paul Mercer, Health and Safety Advisor at Andy Thornton, said, "this is what we needed, it helps you build evidence to present to potential future customers! The initial meeting happened in February 2017, and by April 2017, we had our Bronze accreditation. It was straightforward, simple, and so helpful."

Andy Thornton demonstrates how operational improvements and heritage values can combine to deliver sustainability. By embedding reuse and recycling into its operations, the company is reducing waste, supporting local communities, and preserving historic materials for future generations.

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More Information

To find out more about iiE, visit our page here.

To discuss how Genee can support your organisation’s sustainability goals, visit Genee Consulting Ltd or contact jo@genee.org.uk.

Why responsible business now matters more than ever

In recent years, responsible business has shifted from a niche interest to a core expectation. Customers, supply chains, investors and employees increasingly want organisations to demonstrate that they operate with integrity, purpose and positive impact. The challenge for many businesses is knowing how to turn good intentions into meaningful, measurable action.

For packaging producers and manufacturers, these expectations are evolving rapidly. Increasing focus on sustainability, packaging compliance, ESG reporting and supply-chain transparency means organisations are now expected to evidence their environmental and social performance, not simply talk about it. Customers and procurement teams increasingly want to work with businesses that can demonstrate clear commitments and measurable progress.

Why accreditations help turn intent into action

At Genee Consulting Ltd, a North East based environmental consultancy, we believe accreditations play a vital role in bridging that gap. As a B Corp certified consultancy, a delivery partner for the nationally recognised Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation, Green iiE accredited ourselves, and as an organisation recognised through the Good Business Charter and Shine Advanced, we have seen first-hand the value that robust accreditations can bring to organisations. Not because they simply look good on a website, but because they provide structure, clarity and momentum.

At their best, accreditations are not tick-box exercises. They are practical tools that help organisations assess where they are, understand their impacts, and put clear plans in place to improve. For Genee, pursuing accreditations has been as much an internal journey as an external statement.

What accreditations have delivered for Genee

Using the Investors in the Environment framework helped us establish a robust environmental management system that was proportionate to our size and genuinely useful day to day. That same framework then supported us in evidencing our environmental performance when working towards B Corp certification, the Good Business Charter and the regional Shine Award.

How structured frameworks support packaging businesses

This experience is why we are so passionate about delivering Investors in the Environment to organisations across the North East and North West of England. The framework provides practical tools, templates and guidance that enable organisations to build environmental management systems that work for the business, rather than adding unnecessary complexity.

Time and again, we see organisations uncover cost savings, reduce environmental impacts and improve employee engagement simply by taking a more structured approach. For packaging businesses, this can include better environmental data collection, improved resource efficiency, reduced energy use, stronger supply-chain reporting and clearer evidence for customers, retailers and procurement frameworks. In many cases, taking a more structured approach also helps businesses identify operational efficiencies and strengthen internal engagement around sustainability goals.

Importantly, the framework is flexible, meeting organisations where they are, whether they are just starting out or looking to strengthen existing ESG and sustainability commitments. As packaging regulations and environmental expectations continue to evolve, many organisations are looking for practical frameworks that help them prepare for future requirements while also strengthening wider business practices.

Accreditations as a foundation for long-term progress

One client described their iiE audit report as “writing his 2026 business plan for him”, using Genee’s guidance to support long-term sustainability goals and operational improvements. accreditations for responsible business

Accreditations are not an end in themselves, but when implemented well, they can be powerful tools for turning values into action. From our experience at Genee, they have helped us build a stronger, more resilient business, while also supporting credibility with clients, partners and stakeholders. In sectors such as packaging and manufacturing, where transparency, sustainability commitments and supply-chain accountability are becoming increasingly important, that credibility matters more than ever.

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More Information

To find out more about iiE, visit our page here.

To discuss how Genee can support your organisation’s sustainability goals, visit Genee Consulting Ltd or contact jo@genee.org.uk.