Tata Steel UK has received a double nomination in two categories at the Environmental Packaging Awards: ‘Environmental Champion’ and ‘Sustainable Innovation of the Year’.

Now in its second year, the Environmental Packaging Awards celebrate the innovations and individuals making a real impact on sustainability across the industry.

The shortlist was announced on Friday, 19 April 2024. Tata Steel UK’s Sarah Passmore, commercial manager, comments, “We were thrilled to receive two nominations in the ‘Environmental Champion’ and ‘Sustainable Innovation of the Year’ categories. It’s a testament to the whole team’s hard work highlighting the sustainability of the steel packaging sector.”

Tata Steel’s Optemis Carbon Lite has been shortlisted for ‘Sustainable Innovation of the Year.’ A declaration-based steel solution, Optemis Carbon Lite offers can makers the ability to lower the CO₂ intensity through the supply chain.

This product is a flexible insetting solution allowing customers to choose the CO₂ intensity they need and is independently verified by global experts, DNV. CO₂ savings can be reported as a reduction in Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. 

Tata Steel UK’s projects to reduce CO₂ including electrification, renewable energy, process changes and innovation, allow the steel producer to ‘bank’ these CO₂ savings, which are externally verified by DNV. These can then be bought as Optemis Carbon Lite declarations by can makers.  Revenues from declaration sales are used to further fund the acceleration of decarbonisation.  

Nicola Jones, manager, Steel Packaging Recycling at Tata Steel UK has also been nominated for the ‘Environmental Champion’ award which recognises her dedication to promoting the recycling of steel packaging over the course of her 25-year career. This nomination also follows her recent win as the UK’s only recipient of the ‘Recycling Hero’ award from the Global Recycling Foundation earlier this year.

As a member of many advisory and strategic working groups, Nicola has used her expertise to shape recycling and packaging policy and regulation throughout the UK. She also developed the education programme for Tata Steel that delivers workshops to UK schools, colleges and universities which focuses on recycling for sustainability.

“I am honoured to be shortlisted as an ‘Environmental Champion.’ These nominations reward those who demonstrate a strong understanding of packaging’s environmental impact while recognising a pack’s role in protecting products. Good luck to all the shortlisted finalists,” comments Nicola. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, 26 June 2024 at Park Plaza Victoria, London.