How Sonoco Navigates the Future of Sustainable Packaging

Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 million tonnes by 2050 according to UNEP. 

Packaging waste can make up as much as 40% of this. 

Sonoco is a leading provider of packaging, including items like paperboard cans.

Scott Byrne, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Sonoco, plays a leading role in shaping the future of circular packaging. 

With metal as an infinitely recyclable material, and Sonoco’s global operations spanning both rigid paperboard and metal packaging, Scott is a passionate advocate for circularity, decarbonisation and sustainable innovation across the industry.

Scott shares his insights on the future of packaging with Sustainability Magazine. 

How does the PPWR aim to reduce packaging waste and promote circularity in the EU?

The EU’s new Packaging and packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) marks a long overdue revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive adopted in the 90s. 

While shifting from a Directive to a Regulation may sound technical, it actually signals a major transformation in how packaging is governed across Europe. 

As a Regulation, PPWR has direct legal force in all Member States, ensuring harmonised rules and greater impact. With this shift, the EU has been able to create a unified system across the continent aimed at pushing sustainability in packaging to the highest international standard. 

The PPWR mandates that 65% of all packaging waste be recycled by the end of 2025, and 70% by 2030. We have already seen particular advantages in metal recycling, with steel already overachieving on its 2030 target. This is progress which will only continue to lead the packaging industry as companies transition to more circular materials and organisations such as Sonoco continue to lead the industry through the creation of sustainable, circular packaging solutions.

So what does this mean for businesses? In practical terms, it means selecting packaging that is compliant by design. Customers will increasingly need partners who can demonstrate not only that their materials are technically recyclable — but that they are actually recycled in the real world, with the full lifecycle in mind. This is where both metal and rigid paper will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the packaging industry. Whether it's through helping a brand eliminate unnecessary plastic, boost recycling rates or prepare for design-for-recyclability assessments, we see it as our role - as a packaging manufacturer - to simplify complexity and deliver circular solutions that perform.

How can the CSDR support the transition to a circular economy?

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSDR) is a major leap forward in corporate transparency. It requires businesses to report on how their operations impact the environment, including specific initiatives around resource conservation, waste prevention and climate.

As companies begin reporting for the 2024 financial year, sustainability will no longer be an aspiration — it becomes a legal topic. This move raises the bar significantly, prompting businesses to embed circular principles into their operations from the outset. 

Importantly, transparency fosters accountability and innovation. Consumers, investors and partners will have the tools to assess who is leading — and who is lagging. That, in turn, accelerates collaboration and best-practice sharing across industries to advance circularity.

The CSRD helps elevate circularity from ambition to action. It encourages businesses to adopt solutions that reduce emissions, conserve resources and minimise waste across the entire lifecycle. Packaging innovation plays a central role. For example, Ecopeel — Sonoco’s new generation of metal cans — reduces raw material use and cuts CO₂ emissions by 20% compared to a traditional three-piece can, giving early adopters a measurable advantage when reporting on carbon performance. 

What are the key challenges and opportunities under these regulations?

A key challenge of this new legislation will be compliance. The CSDR has particular potential to trip up organisations, as companies of different sizes and turnover will have to start reporting on CSDR at different times. 

Despite the ongoing proposal to delay the CSRD reporting for two years until 2027, the list of companies expected to report should grow to include smaller organisations each financial year, so remaining aware of the timeline of the change is critical.

As a regulation, however, the PPWR will help streamline international regulation across the EU, as legislation will now be the same across the single market. This uniformity offers a particular advantage for organisations that operate across European nations.

Companies like Sonoco that already report their sustainability information are also well placed to transition to these new legislations, but those who are slow to adapt or resist this transition risk falling behind. According to Capgemini, 61% of global business leaders report that the lack of sustainable practices will pose a long-term existential risk for their organisations, so the pressure of these new regulations should force businesses to adopt the needed sustainable solutions to secure their future stability.

The integration of Sonoco Metal Packaging EMEA into the broader Sonoco company brings together decades of expertise in metal and fibre-based packaging — both sectors grounded in circular principles. With investment in material innovation, data transparency and low-carbon design, Sonoco is committed to supporting its partners through this transformation. 

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