This weblog is a part of our give attention to Cisco workers who’re “Striving for Sustainability” by discovering alternatives to combine sustainability of their day-to-day work.
At Cisco, packaging sustainability is a key facet of our technique to transition to a round enterprise mannequin. We do that by designing packaging that protects our merchandise whereas additionally minimizing environmental impression. This implies utilizing much less supplies when attainable and selecting extra sustainable supplies — reminiscent of supplies that include recycled content material and are recyclable or reusable.
I not too long ago sat down with Nicole Kenney, Program Supervisor on the Packaging Engineering staff, who focuses her work on packaging and materials circularity. Nicole has been capable of analysis and handle tasks to help a spread 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 continuously juggling a number of artwork tasks. I knew I needed to do one thing inventive — 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 noticed preserving nature was my objective.
You would possibly marvel concerning the transition from attire merchandise to know-how {hardware}, however whatever the trade, packaging challenges are common: the principle 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 staff 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 house, packaging is part of our on a regular basis lives. It serves as an vital handshake between our model and our prospects, however to me, it additionally embodies the intersection of science, design, and psychology. After I got here throughout the open Program Supervisor function 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 staff, sustainability has developed from a nice-to-have to a necessary requirement for each new product introduction. This shift in our course of is basically because of Cisco’s implementation of its Round Design Ideas, which information us in integrating sustainability into all our outputs.
In the case of materials selections, our packaging engineers are centered on decreasing foam use and discovering alternate options to plastic (or eliminating plastic altogether). Packaging optimization is one other space of focus; for example, multi-packing will help save supplies, which reduces price and environmental impression.
Nonetheless, packaging sustainability varies drastically from one product to the following. Our packaging engineers face a difficult process: there isn’t any set recipe for a extra round pack; relatively, it’s a balancing of a number of distinctive elements. They have to prioritize product safety, as a result of reshipping to interchange a broken product undermines sustainability. In addition they take into account product quantity; if a product is high-volume, optimizing dice dimension for palletization effectivity is essential. The extra items that match on a pallet, the less pallets wanted for transport, 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 function does know-how play in advancing Cisco’s packaging sustainability efforts?
Nicole: In the case of know-how and packaging, supplies innovation is crucial to advancing packaging sustainability. Our Packaging Engineering staff collaborates carefully with our suppliers to rethink supplies from starting to finish, with a specific give attention to fiber-based options.
Two examples of supplies innovation embody fiber flute and paper modular cushions. These are each fiber-based cushioning methods that we use as a substitute of typical foam. They’re made out of post-consumer recycled content material and, like corrugated cushions, are extensively 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 throughout the design and validation course of. Prototypes are created, match checks are carried out, and packaging exams 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 decreasing packaging impacts is knowing how greatest to measure them. In the case of sustainability, greenhouse fuel emissions (GHG) are typically the first measure of environmental impression. 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 hold 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 international provide chain calls for and are regionally obtainable. Thrilling materials improvements reminiscent of mushroom foam or bio-based plastics typically spark curiosity, however continuity in sourcing and provide might 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 suited to different product sorts, reminiscent of meals or shopper 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 prospects 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: educate our prospects on one of the best ways to handle packaging waste. We would like prospects to make knowledgeable choices about disposal after receiving our merchandise. To deal with this, we now have begun to launch merchandise with easy however informative messaging to assist them perceive what to do with their packaging waste.
What future traits 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 function to play in driving sustainability. We’ve noticed corporations striving to supply extra sustainable options. Customers are more and more in search of extra sustainable choices, evidenced by their buying selections. Now, we’re seeing a surge of collaboration among the many three entities.
As a company, we’re conscious that governments and the non-public sector are prioritizing circularity, and we acknowledge that this has an impression on our prospects. That is an thrilling time as a result of we’re participating with our prospects on packaging sustainability greater than ever earlier than. They’re keen to grasp our packaging roadmap, and we’re equally serious about theirs. There’s a robust willingness to share, perceive, and collaborate, making it an exhilarating time.
This pattern provides me hope that as we work collectively, the round financial system is achievable throughout our enterprise ecosystem.
You may be taught extra about our packaging targets in Cisco’s Function Reporting Hub.
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