Market Overview

In response to today’s “Activated” consumer market for sustainable products and corporate social responsibility, an increasing majority of retailers are not only re-evaluating their own internal operations through the lens of sustainability, they are also focusing deeper within their own supply chains to drive sustainability improvements in both the products they sell and how they are packaged. Sustainability score cards, along with mandated requirements and guidelines, are being established to help guide and support US and International supply chains in their efforts to improve product and packaging sustainability and social compliance, creating economic, environmental, and social value. This trend is likely to continue into the future and become increasingly imperative for products and brands seeking to maintain and/or increase shelf space allocation. GearedforGreen Circular Economy® supports retailer compliance initiatives by assisting manufacturers, brands and distribution to implement Circular Economy and sustainability initiatives that surpass the retail score card initiatives of today to be one-step ahead for the future.

Market Challenge

Today’s marketplace has changed. While the historical focus areas still apply for products and brands, standing alone they are no longer enough. As retailers and brands drive sustainability changes in the marketplace to meet consumer and corporate demand, they are also making decisions on shelf space allocation based on a product and/or brands sustainability and social purpose, including how “Compliant” products are with specific “sustainability scorecard” criteria. Today, brands need to incorporate, and verify, sustainability into their core focus areas with measures such as:

• Responsible sourcing of raw materials
• Optimization of design to reduce raw material usage
• Ensure end-of-life recyclability and include clear recyclability labeling
• Utilize post-consumer recycled content in products and packaging
• Communicate sustainability initiatives, practices and corporate social responsibility goals

Often, the biggest challenge is determining how to get started down the path of incorporating sustainability criteria into existing and future product. A Circular Economy, by definition, requires significant collaboration among key stakeholders that are both internal to your organization and operations and external in your expansive supply chain. This breadth of internal and external execution, and the numerous products and supply chain partners this involves, can often be a paralyzing roadblock to initiating an effective Circular Economy strategy as there is no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all strategy that can be taken off the shelf and put in practice.

GFG Circular Economy Solutions

Utilizing more than 30 years of plastics Circular Economy and Sustainability expertise, GearedforGreen works closely with manufacturers and brand owners to help achieve retailer sustainability compliance via; 

• Optimizing packaging design to reduce raw material usage
• Assisting in raw material selection to ensure end-of-life recyclability of product packaging
• Incorporating post-consumer resin content into packaging and products
• Providing chain of custody and post-consumer resin traceability
• Securing the balanced supply of post-consumer sustainable raw materials
• Incorporating sustainability and recyclability messaging
• Social Sustainability Partnerships and impact on brand/product awareness
• Verifying sustainability measures taken to meet and/or enhance retailer sustainability compliance

We help manufacturers and brands embrace Circular Economy concepts, embed them into the organizational and operational culture and recognize the positive, long-term strategic impact they present for not only the achievement of retailer sustainability compliance, but also for overall Business Strategy, Sales Development and Organizational Development.

Essential Elements

• GearedforGreen Circular Economy® fully implements collaborative and transparent Circular Economy Partnerships to create strategic, long-term and committed sustainability solutions for manufacturers of products and brands via:
• Optimization of packaging design
• Verifiable and transparent chain of custody of post-consumer sustainable raw materials
• Implementation and de-risking of end-of-life recycling solutions
• Creation of strategic and balanced supply of sustainable raw materials
• Implementation of social and sustainable awareness campaigns