The FINAT Sustainability Awards are the leading initiative in Europe recognising outstanding work to advance sustainability through labelling. The 2024 edition of the competition received 28 entries in two categories: Reduction of environmental impact and Optimisation of recycling. The initiatives stemmed from the whole label value chain, covering adhesive formulations, release coatings, metallisation technologies, printing inks, manufacturing and printing equipment, label stock, recycling methodologies and specific packaging solutions.
Entries were judged by a high-calibre jury composed of Arno Melchior, Global Packaging Director at Reckitt, Thomas Reiner, CEO at Berndt+Partner, and Fabrizio Di Gregorio, Technical Director at Plastics Recyclers Europe and RecyClass. The judges were excited to review the innovations coming from the label industry and to examine first-hand the many samples received for evaluation.
“The FINAT Sustainability Awards present a great opportunity for companies in the label value chain to showcase their innovations, and the high number of entries received demonstrates the strong motivation of the industry to provide sustainable solutions for the future” reflected Jonathan Sexton from Sun Chemical, chairman of the organising committee.
“Labels are by volume a small part of a package – but a critically important component in its environmental performance, both as an enabler of packaging circularity and as a medium for communicating with consumers,” commented Packaging Europe’s brand director, Tim Sykes. “The FINAT Sustainability Award is a vitally important project, and we are delighted to collaborate with FINAT not only to share the competition with a wider audience, but as an opportunity to put labels at the centre of our thinking at the Summit and in our wider reporting.”
FINAT is thrilled to announce the finalists of the Sustainability Awards 2024. In each category the judges decided to recognise four initiatives as being especially relevant. The winner of each category will be announced in collaboration with Packaging Europe at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam on 12 November. All finalists will receive complimentary access to the first day of the Summit, and the finalist initiatives will be showcased in Packaging Europe articles in the coming weeks.
Category Reduction of environmental impact
The 18 submissions in this category highlighted materials, technologies and processes developed to minimise the environmental footprint of labels.
The finalist entries in this category are:
- ECOLEAF Mindful Metallization by ACTEGA Metal Print GmbH
- STARDIRECT™ by All4Labels Global Packaging Group
- Collection of Intense Natural Pigments by INESSENS
- Carbon Action Plastic Labels by UPM Raflatac
Category Optimisation of recycling
This category counted 10 entries describing approaches to facilitate the recycling of packaging and to incorporate post-consumer recycled content.
The finalist entries in this category are:
- Assessing the releasability of Pressure Sensitive Labels during the full HDPE recycling process and the quality of recycled flakes by Avery Dennison
- Sustainable solution with new wash-off PSA labels AQUENCE PS 3017 RE by Henkel AG
- NextCycle IML™ for rigid PP packaging by MCC Verstraete
- Recycling of label matrix material and return into film product by POLIFILM EXTRUSION GmbH & POLICYCLE Deutschland GmbH
