As national business development manager Sustainable Packaging for Ball & Doggett, the country’s largest consumables supplier for printed packaging, Zaidee Jackson has a clear focus on developing sustainable solutions for Australian brands. Lindy Hughson sat down with this industry advocate to find out about her role and what puts the spring in her step.
Your career background is in the print industry, where among other achievements you have been recognised with the PVCA’s Exceptional Woman in Print 2021 award. Tell us about your shift to the packaging world.
It’s been an incredible ride and one that I have huge gratitude for; Ball & Doggett was proactive in recognising the shift in the market and gap for the role of National BDM Sustainable Packaging.
With the industry all working towards sustainable roadmaps, we wanted to ensure that we developed – as part of the labels and packaging division – a dedicated resource to partner not just with brands but to be a conduit between brands, printers, convertors, creative agencies and industry associations.
Our packaging industry is doing a tremendous job alongside incredible practitioners and specialists providing the expertise that everyone is looking for. It’s about connection, conversation, education and a mindset around collectiveness as an industry, and working towards a circular economy. We each have a role to play, and I am grateful to work for a company that is driving the narrative with the support of the broader packaging community.
One of the projects you have recently initiated is Ecoporium. What have you developed with it and what does it bring to industry?
Ecoporium by Ball & Doggett is a brand that has been developed into a resource through a website platform, which was created to educate and inform the market on our Labels & Packaging range and share knowledge with sustainability in focus.
We have interviewed industry and sustainability practitioners, specialists, curators of packaging brands, customers and suppliers on how they view sustainable packaging through their lens. These conversations are pertinent to share with the market as we all navigate this pathway.
This platform is about the voice of the community where pundits in our industry share intel. We already know through feedback that our current activations under this banner are supporting the audience with critical decisions pertaining to their quest to meet APCO targets, material choices and understanding Ball & Doggett’s sustainable material offerings.
How important is the supplier brand-owner relationship to driving sustainable change via better packaging choices?
Crucial! Given the complexity and multi-faceted nature of sustainable packaging, collaboration and communication in this space is important across all stakeholders.
This relationship can drive change and mitigate friction points toward meeting National Packaging Targets. It can also impact design, sourcing the most fit-for-purpose product and drive the impact and adoption of sustainable packaging practices.
A brand has significant influence on consumer behaviour. With suppliers educating and supporting the drive to change, brands in turn can educate and raise awareness amongst their consumers and further drive the messaging on the importance of choice towards a sustainable future.
How do you support packaging converters and brands on their transition pathways towards meeting the National Packaging Targets?
We engage with brands, printers, convertors and creative agencies differently. The language, needs and requirements can vary in each sector, however, everyone strives to meet the same goals. This leans into brands being supported towards meeting National Packaging Targets.
The key is transparent partnerships. Essentially the aim is to close the loop. The north star is to have all parties at the table discussing the project. This does happen from time to time, and the outcome of product demonstrates the power of collective impact. Communication and education are key.
Defining what the goal of the project is, the intended volume to be produced, the design concept and essentially unpacking ‘what’ the brand’s desired outcome is towards the targets. Having the largest scope of products in the country we work across fibre, rigid, plastic and flexible based materials. Our global supply chains position us at the forefront of delivering innovative products into the Australian market.
The life cycle of this process varies given that testing on reviewed packaging design can require investment and diligent processes.
We engage with various tiered brands and support their needs according to their requirements.
The ACCC is clamping down on greenwashing. What role does the material supplier play in preventing greenwashing on brand packaging?
Ball & Doggett works extensively with our global supplier chain to ensure our third party supplier code policy is followed.
We communicate transparently on the accreditations that our products carry.
We educate our customers from printers, convertors, brands and creative agencies on the importance of material choices from our large range of product portfolio.
We have a responsibility to partner and understand the desired outcome, educate on the appropriate material choices and provide supporting evidence of accreditations. We all need to work towards accurate communication through the value chain.
