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The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) will announce a new board structure and five-year-plan by the end of 2016.

The “enhanced Covenant”, according to new CEO Trish Hyde, will be officially launched in January 2017.

“We will see more collaborative, targeted approaches to minimising the environmental impacts of packaging, she said.

“We are also changing the way we are governed and operate, so that we are more accountable, transparent and relevant – including becoming a company regulated by ASIC and the ACNC, and adopting a new board structure with industry and independent directors to provide stewardship.”

Trish-Hyde_headshot-11_A2DDF4D0-FFA5-11E5-8AA706B2CCB88DF31 Trish Hyde

In a letter to the APC, Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt confirmed ongoing government support for the Covenant.

He said the Covenant was “a central tool in addressing the environmental impacts of consumer packaging”.

Hunt is currently working with ministers on a joint statement about the scope and goals of the agreement.

In collaboration with industry and jurisdictions, the Covenant will draw on these recommendations for its five-year strategic plan.

Hyde said compliance conditions and reporting requirements would remain unchanged, and signatories should budget for their annual contribution in the coming financial year.

Food & Drink Business

Sydney sourdough specialists, Sonoma Baking Company and Berkelo bakery, are combining under the Sonoma banner, as Berkelo founder, Tom Eadie, shifts focus to foodservice.

The latest federal inquiry into the food and beverage manufacturing sector handed down its report this week, with the first of its 23 recommendations reiterating earlier inquiries that called for a comprehensive national food plan.

Organisations across Australia are calling for stronger policy and collaborative efforts to fight waste, as quantifiable targets set almost a decade ago slip further out of reach. End Food Waste Australia’s Food Pact offers a rallying point for businesses, with signatories showing real results that offer hope for the future.