Shared value, strategy of new materials, digitization and entrepreneurship mark the VII Strategic Drive

Submitted by Mireia Andreu on 11 November 2019

More than 140 professionals from the packaging industry gather in Mataró to discuss the evolution of the sector

The city of Mataró hosted last October 24-25 the VII meeting of the Strategic Drive of the Packaging Cluster, which brought together more than 140 professionals from the packaging industry and was supported by ACCIO (see the program here).

This 2019, the conferences have covered the following topics, which are key to the sector, such as shared value and circular economy; market trends; strategy and innovation; Technology and digitization.

The meeting was opened by the Ilmo. David Botemayor of Mataró, and Artur Costa, president of the Packaging Cluster, who emphasized the value of the industry as a strategic element for the economic and social development of the territory.

On Thursday morning the first part started with two presentations: that of “The future of deluxe packaging”, by Camil Castellà (Aktiva Design) and that of “The 2030 horizon for packaging in Europe”, by Ferran Tarradelles (European Commission). Consumer trends were discussed, such as increased awareness and responsibility for action as well as a commitment to innovation applied to technology; and those related to legislation that already affect the packaging industry, that is: protection of physical well-being in terms of food, regulation of new emerging materials, restrictions to reduce plastic or global industrial standards.

The second part of Thursday, however, featured three presentations: that of “Sustainability 360: a holistic approach to sustainable packaging”, by María Coronado (Euromonitor), who explained the importance of recycling and reducing waste through examples of big corporations -Coca-cola, Unilever, … – that introduce these values ​​into their strategic objectives. Also “How to apply the SDGs to the company“, by Silvia Ayuso (Academic Chair in Mango of RSC), that detailed how to link the SDGs to our work plan to generate social value and a positive impact. And finally the “Human being in the 4th industrial revolution” by Josep María Ganyet (Professor UPF), who transmitted key aspects such as the importance of the circular economy; the incorporation of social and environmental elements into the business strategy, as well as the impact of technology on the transformation of companies and society itself.

Thursday afternoon focused on a workshop on communication, where Cristina Masachs (Softlanding) explained and energized “How to connect in the era of distraction through a good story“, with the interaction of attendees. Finally, Thursday ended with a percussion workshop to move the body to the rhythm of the music.

On Friday, however, the morning began with two presentations, where Albert Riba (Shaking Minds) showed the results of “People Analytics” of the packaging sector, making at the same time an inspiring presentation while advising on possible attitudes towards different life cycles and how to transform talent into entrepreneurship. Next, Jordi Ordoñez (Consultant) explained: “Opportunities for industrial companies in the world of e-commerce and B2B” focusing on how to work with a platform like Amazon, which builds engagement through a better shopping experience.

And the second part of the morning served, on the one hand, to present the Shared Value project carried out with ACCIO and the consulting firm R4S, where Joan Martí and Raimon Puigjané respectively made the presentation of the project that promotes joint action as CSR and the social dimension associated with entrepreneurship. Finally, the immersion also spoke about the “Recruitment and development of talent in the 4.0 environment”, where Lluis Miravitlles (IQS) presented the subject and how the Smart Factory could improve the competitiveness and the environmental impact. The immersion was concluded by Ignasi Cubiñá (EIG) that explained “Circularity in the world of packaging”, moderating a round table with experts from the sector, with the participation of Victor M. Sanchez (Sorbos), Aitor Susaño (Corium) and Carles Salesa (Consorcio Residuos Maresme). Some of the conclusions of this round table were: the possible solutions of recycling or reuse of the plastic during its useful life; biopolymers, compostable polymers or chemical recycling as substitutes or future technologies; or the new consumption habits of users who are looking for healthy food alternatives in products such as sugar.

The event had interactive questions from the public that were shown on-screen at the end of each presentation, as well as a photocall where Kartox, a member of the cluster, provided the material.

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