Brother International Australia nominated as a finalist for APCO’s Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPG’s) Implementation Award

Brother International Australia (BIA) is excited to announce that we have been shortlisted as a finalist for the prestigious Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPG's) Implementation Award.

This recognition from the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a testament to our dedication to creating a sustainable future.

Our nomination is specifically for our efforts to eliminate polystyrene (EPS) and polyethylene (EPE) packaging from Brother Printing products.

Throughout the nomination process, we provided detailed answers highlighting our commitment to protecting the environment and shaping the future of packaging.

Within our submission, BIA outlined that our primary objective is to drive meaningful change in our product packaging practices that go beyond compliance with industry standards.

BIA's commitment is two-fold:

• Having already phased out EPE/EPS packaging for all Printing hardware and consumables, we'll complete our challenge to remove the remaining products with EPE/EPS packaging by March 2024.

• While pursuing sustainability leadership, we are equally dedicated in maintaining the high-quality standards that our end users expect from Brother. We are committed to utilising sustainable alternative materials and packaging methods that protect the quality and integrity of our products.

As a committed industry member of APCO, BIA leveraged the SPGs as a guiding framework, which directed our problem-solving process by emphasising the need to reduce packaging waste at the design stage.

We focused on minimising materials used, optimising recyclability, and reducing the potential for fugitive packaging, allowing us to address sustainability concerns while aiming to be the benchmark for industry best practices relating to responsible design principles.

Andy O'Donnell, Director at Brother International Australia, said:

"Environmental sustainability is not a choice; it is our responsibility to safeguard the delicate balance of our planet. It is a call to action, urging us to embrace innovative solutions, reduce our ecological footprint, and to close the loop for a truly circular economy. Being part of this sustainable packaging initiative has been incredibly rewarding. We've not only reduced our environmental impact significantly but also received positive feedback from our end users and key business partners alike, who appreciate our commitment to sustainability. It's inspiring to know that our actions are making a real difference, not just for our organisation but for the planet.

"This initiative was a collaborative effort involving teams in Australia and our parent company in Japan. We cannot thank the team of engineers in Japan enough for their hard work and efforts, they have really showcased Brother's 'At your side' DNA."

BIA customers and partners are encouraged to keep an eye out for EPE/EPS-free packaging on Brother products, like the one shown below.

BIA's award nomination comes from APCO - a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia.

In its own words, APCO envisions a packaging value chain that works together with businesses to prevent packaging materials from ending up in landfills.

APCO will announce the winner of the SPG's Implementation Award at a ceremony taking place on Thursday, 2 November 2023.