Can you introduce the WWF to us in a few words?
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world’s leading independent environmental organizations, with an active network in more than 100 countries and the support of nearly 6 million members.
Our missions consist in warning about environmental degradation, protecting emblematic natural areas, but also in transforming production and consumption methods in order to limit their impact on the environment.
To achieve this, we intervene in the public policy debate, in the development of “green finance” in order to guide investments towards ecological transition, and we collaborate with companies willing to develop good environmental practices.
WWF France joined the CNE this year as a member of its 7th college (environmental protection associations). Could you explain to us what motivates WWF to collaborate with the CNE?
We consider that one of today’s great challenges for our world is resource productivity. How can economic growth and resource consumption be decoupled? It is the object of a new economic vision commonly called “circular economy”, in which we take part.
Yet, in our opinion, the packaging sector seems to be an excellent field for implementing the circular economy. And it brings together all the challenges that this new economy requires to face: consumer behaviour, technological innovation, industrial voluntarism and government support.
WWF France works for the protection of the planet. Could you explain what your major concerns are when it comes to packaging?
Our first concern is the selective collection performance of packaging after use. There are considerable margins of progress, particularly in large cities, which require both new consumer behaviour and new forms of collection.
The second concern is the necessary evolution of the industrial recycling chain: modernising sorting centres, creating or improving recycling facilities for certain materials, all this while seeking the best economic efficiency, and relying on progress in terms of eco-design of packaging.
The third concern is the mobilization of companies to use more recycled materials. In the same way that they now have indicators on their CO2 performance, we think it would be relevant to have indicators of their performance in incorporating recycled materials.
WWF France will actively participate in the collective intelligence of the CNE within its working groups. In your opinion, what are the levers for action within the CNE that will enable the “right packaging” to progress further?
We note that the CNE addresses each issue by bringing together its most concerned members in the form of “working groups” which submit their conclusions after a given deadline. It seems to be an effective process, which gives the opportunity to debate, but also aims to reach a common position.
The next step is to communicate these positions to all stakeholders in the packaging world, and to fully understand the factors that can hinder the implementation of a particular recommendation.
Our membership is still too recent for us to be able to evaluate all the levers of action available to the CNE. At this stage, we simply note that all the major players in the packaging “eco-system” are well represented within the CNE.
From your point of view, how can the CNE contribute with other actors of the packaging industry for a socially and environmentally responsible packaging?
Most large companies now understand that their environmental and social performance must be integrated into their strategy. On the other hand, this raises the frequently asked question of the level of ambition they set for themselves.
In this respect, the role of the CNE could be to propose trajectories for progress, based either on what is already being done among the most advanced partners, or on what it considers desirable and attainable.
The CNE would thus act as a “challenger” for companies, helping them to think about their objectives and offering them ways forward.
Could you identify one or two issues that fall within the scope of WWF’s missions and that could be the subject of a working group at the CNE?
Several problems come to mind, and it would be advisable to verify which ones are judged most relevant by the other members:
- The consequences of the widening of sorting instructions: are recycling chains ready to absorb the flow of new materials? What are the priorities for action?
- The improvement of selective collection in large cities, including out-of-home consumption: which levers should be used? What lessons can be learned from pilot operations?
- The eco-modulation of contributions applied by eco-organisations: should we go further, and how far?
- The integration of recycled materials in packaging: how can it be made valuable in the eyes of the consumer? How to communicate on this point?
- The deposit, as a potential lever to increase the collection rate of plastic bottles. What would be the relevant scope to launch experiments? Which actors should be involved?