A new white paper published by AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings shares best practices and explores how metal packaging manufacturers – and the food and beverage industry – can successfully navigate regulatory changes and sustainability reporting across the value chain.

The paper – called Material Matters – details key legislations related to critical aspects of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy. It covers reporting and compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), focusing on Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), circularity, as well as climate change mitigation, and it explores the challenges and opportunities they represent and the steps being taken to address them.

Material Matters looks at how new reporting requirements will drive companies to have a better understanding of topics that are material to them; obliging firms to provide information on their ESG impacts, both within their own operations and throughout their value chain.
AkzoNobel was in the first wave of companies reporting its 2024 sustainability information in line with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Tessa Slagter, Sustainable Innovation Manager for AkzoNobel Industrial Coatings, believes that now is the perfect time for AkzoNobel to share its knowledge: “We recognise that the CSRD is pushing companies to publish their ESG efforts on material topics, and it’s important to note that other regulations also significantly impact these initiatives.”

“At AkzoNobel, we believe in the power of sharing knowledge, which is why we are publishing this white paper. Our goal is to contribute to the conversation around ESG practices and help others navigate the complexities of compliance and reporting.”

Divided into two parts, the white paper first examines the specifics around the higher level of reporting that the CSRD now requires. Additionally, the paper reviews the obligation to reduce waste and promote the circular economy, and strategies for climate action. It also looks at how advances in coating technology mean that can makers and brand owners are benefiting from coatings that not only address the regulatory and human health concerns but that can also have an inherently lower carbon footprint, further contributing to the sustainability performance. Part two of the white paper explores AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings’ vision for sustainable innovation and the progress it is making in the creation of high-performing technologies with fewer environmental and safety downsides.

In light of the shifting regulatory landscape, AkzoNobel says it is committed to supporting the industry as it prepares and adapts. Chris Bradford, Market Director, Coil & Packaging Coatings, AkzoNobel Industrial Coatings stated: “The industry is making great strides towards environmental sustainability and securing the future of metal food and beverage packaging. We are proud to play an active role in this,” he explains. “We have specific programs to develop high-performing alternative technologies that provide the same food protection performance, reliability and manufacturing efficiency of legacy solutions, and with a lower environmental impact.”

The full white paper can be found on AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings’ website, which has recently been relaunched to better reflect AkzoNobel’s position as a market leader in compliant and more sustainable solutions. The new website features an improved user experience to help users find important insights and information more quickly, and it comes with a fresh new, distinctive look mirroring the vibrancy of the metal packaging industry.