The World Packaging Organisation (WPO) and World Design Organisation (WDO) have embarked on their first joint initiative following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last year.
The two organisations will host a two-week virtual ‘World Design Challenge on Sustainable Packaging’ that aims to identify sustainable solutions in packaging design.
This event will take place from 24 May to 4 June.
This initiative will work in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, to address internationally relevant topics.
This includes food waste and safety, sustainable packaging, circularity and education to help spur meaningful change at both the individual and industry level.
“The WPO is thrilled to be involved in this first ever joint venture with WDO,” WPO president Pierre Pienaar said.
“Design, and even more so sustainable design, is such a key element to the future development of packaging that at this critical time, we must ensure the impact on our global natural resources and our environment is minimally affected.
“We therefore enthusiastically approach this opportunity and anticipate innovative outcomes to the benefit of multiple communities and generations.”
WDO president, Srini Srinivasan said since its inception in 2020, WDO’s World Design Challenge concept has empowered hundreds of designers who all volunteer their expertise to examine issues and validate ideas towards quick and tangible resolutions on a number of significant social problems.
“What our international design community can accomplish remotely within this two-week period without ever even meeting in-person is nothing short of amazing,” he said.
“Under the guidance of subject matter experts, we collectively map out the problem, generate ideas, make quick decisions and develop tangible prototypes that are then ready to be tested prior to implementation.”
The World Design Challenge on Sustainable Packaging aims to bring together professionals and researchers in the fields of sustainability and packaging design across different industries.
Seven international teams will be appointed to develop creative solutions that best address key challenges including designing sustainable packaging solutions for e-commerce, redesigning packaging to reduce consumer food waste, and changing/engaging consumer behaviour to help increase sustainable habits.
“Packaging is an indispensable part of everyday life, which is why its design is so important. Designers can play a critical role not only in furthering the development of innovative, sustainable packaging, but also in fostering important conversations around the value and impact that packaging has on society,” Srinivasan said.
“We are looking forward to this collaboration with WPO and hope to leverage this opportunity to rethink standards around packaging.”
