Amcor and Dow have announced a strategic collaboration to help brands and retailers accelerate adoption of low-carbon packaging solutions. The duo has a shared history of advancing greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, with the collaboration combining Amcor's packaging innovation, manufacturing expertise and reach with Dow's low-carbon polyethene, materials science and carbon footprint expertise.
Amcor and Dow hope to help brands and retailers easily implement and scale next-generation packaging solutions that deliver the required performance, quality, and functionality while achieving Scope 3 targets. The pair will work together to identify technically and commercially viable packaging applications, engage value chain partners early in the adoption process and provide carbon footprint information to support customers.
“One of the biggest barriers to decarbonisation is the gap between consumer interest and commercial commitment,” said Keith Cleason, Business President, Packaging & Speciality Plastics, Dow. “Together with Amcor, we are testing a new commercial model through market-based mechanisms to reduce adoption risk, create clearer demand signals and help accelerate commercialisation of low-carbon packaging solutions across the value chain. We are making it easier for brands and retailers to evaluate and integrate low-carbon packaging options that support both business growth and sustainability objectives.”
Companies are setting ambitious GHG emissions reduction targets for Scope 3 emissions, which account for indirect GHG emissions across the company’s value chain and often represent the largest share of carbon footprint. Brands and retailers are looking for scalable packaging solutions that deliver measurable emissions reductions without requiring packaging redesigns or new infrastructure investments.
“Scope 3 emissions occur upstream and downstream in the value chain, making it difficult to reduce,” said David Clark, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amcor. “Bringing low-carbon polyethene to market in packaging that meets the same technical and design standards is one of the simplest ways to help shrink a product’s carbon footprint. Because it’s truly a drop-in solution for brands, we see this collaboration as an exciting opportunity for them to translate climate commitments into action.”
The Carbon Footprint Ledger (CFL) methodology is at the centre of the collaboration. It is based on the existing industry precedents of mass balance in GHG accounting. CFL provides independently assured product carbon footprint information aligned with internationally recognised standards, including ISO 14067 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Standard.
