Here at A New Earth Project, we're very proud to be powered by the amazing team at Atlantic Packaging, the largest privately held packaging solutions company in North America. Their expertise on all things packaging is truly next level, but what really inspires us is their commitment to cleaning up the very industry they are part of.
Last week that commitment was acknowledged by the globally esteemed environmental non-profit, CDP, who awarded Atlantic Packaging with an "A" grade, and placed them on their prestigious ‘A List,’ highlighting Atlantic's exemplary efforts in corporate transparency and climate action.
Given that only 346 companies out of over 21,000 assessed achieved an "A" grade, and just 29 of them in North America, this accolade underscores Atlantic Packaging's position as a leader in environmental stewardship. They're the first and only packaging company to receive such an honor.
Our initiative, A New Earth Project, which serves as Atlantic's sustainability spear, was also acknowledged, and we couldn't be more proud. Our mission to advocate for scalable and sustainable packaging solutions, aiming to eliminate plastic pollution from the world's oceans, lakes, and rivers, is clearly resonating.
The 'A' grade is the culmination of many years of work, which all began when Atlantic Packaging President Wes Carter was asked by Anheuser Busch to participate. Carter welcomed the challenge, and tasked Senior Manager Stewart Whitmire with the tough job of herding the cats, getting Atlantic's supply chain on board.
The journey has been an eye opener.
"We had a solid D - those first couple of years," Whitmire recalls. "So we worked and worked and got ourselves to a B."
For several more years Whitmire and the Atlantic team thought they were on the cusp of an 'A' grade, but when it didn't come, the chasm between 'B' and 'A' began to feel enormous. "At least in my mind," says Whitmire.
Nevertheless, he and his team were determined to cross it. The final push was getting Atlantic's ambitious science-based targets recognized and approved, a process that requires incredible transparency. "We chose the most stringent target at that point, so I think that area was a huge, huge piece of it."
Atlantic is now the first packaging company in North America with an approved net-zero Science-Based Target (SBT) for climate action.
The 'A" grade by the highly respected CDP is a huge feather in Atlantic's cap, "For our suppliers, and our customers especially, it gives you a level of credibility right out of the gate," says Whitmire.
Tis honor comes on the heels of another for Atlantic, as President Wes Carter was recently appointed by Cal Recycle to the Advisory Board of California's SB-54, the Plastic Pollution Reduction and Producer Responsibility Act.
That sweeping legislation, which is being phased in over the next few years, is California's huge step into Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a process that will be changing the entire packaging and recycling landscape in the years ahead.
Whether companies are ready for it or not, paradigms are changing in the packaging space, and Atlantic Packaging, along with A New Earth Project, is here to help brands of all sizes navigate the road ahead.
If you're looking for help, reach out.