Australia’s Female Packaging Leaders Get Their Moment in the Sun

All pause while the female leaders in Australia’s packaging industry take a bow.              

Yaffa Media’s PKN Packaging News, a bimonthly magazine and online platform devoted to Australia’s packaging industry, celebrated its first PKN Women in Packaging Awards program recently. The publication honored six winners and presented its inaugural Hall of Fame Award to Nerida Kelton, executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging. A 26-year packaging industry veteran, Kelton serves as vice president of Sustainability and Save Food for the World Packaging Organisation and is also committed to interpack’s Women in Packaging initiative, moderating a panel discussion on the topic at interpack 2023. 

Lindy Hughson, managing editor and publisher at PKN Packaging News, and president of the International Packaging Press Organisation, hosted the June 21 gala event, held at The Gallery – Beta in Sydney. In her opening remarks Hughson said that during her 30-year career as a packaging journalist she has seen a sharp increase in the number of women changemakers in the packaging industry. But still, she noted, many of these women are not always recognized for their contribution to business success.

"Traditionally,” she noted, “the packaging industry has been male-dominated, with women often underrepresented in key leadership roles and decision-making positions. This lack of diversity has hindered innovation and limited the industry's ability to address critical sustainability challenges effectively.

"It's time to change this narrative and empower women in packaging to take center stage. We believe that by shining a light on the achievements of women leaders, this will inspire, encourage and empower more women to step up and take their seat at the table."

That led the PKN team to devise the awards with the aim of highlighting their achievements within the industry. And in doing so, she said, the hope is that this recognition will positively impact their careers, while also elevating the packaging industry and encouraging more young women to choose it as a place to work.

The event also provided a platform, Hughson noted, for sharing insights on leadership, sustainability, and the future of packaging in Australia.

To that end, the event included a chat between Hughson and Freya Marsden, chair of the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund, chair of the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme; board member of the nonprofit Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), and chair of its Risk & Audit committee.

The discussion examined Australia’s efforts to move toward a circular economy, including significant investment in recycling and innovation. Marsden highlighted APCO’s focus on the National Packaging Targets, the development of sustainability guidelines, and collaboration with the federal government on national packaging standards.

"APCO is focusing strongly on the National Packaging Targets,” she said. “We're finalizing our strategy for 2030, which is a significant piece of work and potentially a game-changer for the entire system. We are working hard toward our four key priorities of our current strategy from packaging that is designed for reduction, reuse, and recovery, through to ensuring local and global demand for Australian recycled materials meets supply.”

Regarding initiatives by the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, Marsden noted: “The government announced its key recycling package of nearly A$340 million, including work on the difficult-to-recycle packaging areas, including single-use plastics. Innovation is absolutely key to packaging solutions.”

She also said that Victoria’s container deposit scheme has collected more than 550 million containers in just six months, significantly benefiting charities and individuals.

Marsden concluded by offering four key pieces of advice to young women building their careers: “Engage in continuous learning, think like a leader, invest time in networking including across silos, and think strategically about how you can create impact in your role.”

The afternoon then proceeded to the awards ceremony, which covered six categories –– from product design and materials innovation to manufacturing management and sustainability initiatives. The winners took home trophies created and crafted exclusively for PKN by Delta Global from a combination of FSC-certified beech and oak wood.

A panel of eight expert judges selected the select the ultimate honorees from a pool of more than 70 entries. Here are the winners:  

COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE CATEGORY

Jessica O'Donnell, Close the Loop Group

This award recognizes a woman who has demonstrated exceptional skills and achievements in marketing and communications within the Australian packaging industry, promoting packaging products, brands, and sustainability. O’Donnell managed the campaign for the launch of Close the Loop’s updated soft plastics recycling facility with strategic prowess, uniting industry stakeholders to advance soft plastics recycling and shape the narrative around sustainable packaging in Australia.

DESIGN AND BRANDING VISIONARY

Pippa Corry, philo & co.

This category recognizes excellence in design strategy and in creating visually appealing, impactful packaging that resonates with consumers and boosts brand identity. The judges said: “Pippa Corry is on a mission to ‘simplify circularity’ through her visionary packaging design and brand strategy. She has helped transform packaging by optimizing pack sizes to minimize waste while enhancing brand appeal and improving sustainability reporting and communication for brands such as Bulla, Freedom and Joey Games.  
 

INNOVATION CHAMPION

Joanne Howarth, Planet Protector Group

This award recognizes women who have made a significant impact on the Australian packaging industry through bringing innovative solutions to market. Howarth’s development of the award-winning Woolpack innovation, an alternative to polystyrene for insulated packaging using 100 percent Australian wool, has seen Woolpack’s widespread adoption, attracted investment in local manufacture, while championing circularity in the industry. 

MANUFACTURING LEADER

Ellie King, Orora Group

This category honors achievements such as optimizing production processes, improving quality control, enhancing efficiency, increasing sustainability and fostering a culture of innovation and safety within the manufacturing environment. King was chosen for pioneering the establishment of plant operations at Orora’s Gawler glass facility, optimizing processes, increasing recycled content utilization, while prioritizing technical capability and modern manufacturing to advance circularity in Australian manufacturing.

PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY LEADER

Nayeleh Deirram, Amcor Flexibles

This award was co-presented by Nerida Kelton of the AIP, Australia’s leading educational body for packaging technologists, and a long-standing association partner for PKN’s Women in Packaging events. Deirram introduced an innovative antistatic packaging solution for bulk milk powder. Nayeleh’s collaboration with the Amcor Albany team resulted in a specialized film and set a new standard for safety, compliance, and sustainability in the dairy industry.

SUSTAINABILITY LEADER

Marissa Altmeier, Pernod Ricard Winemakers

This award honors women who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to sustainability in the Australian packaging industry, recognizing initiatives such as reducing packaging waste, promoting recyclability, advocating for eco-friendly materials, or implementing circular packaging practices. Altmeier led the ‘Going Hoodless’ campaign by eliminating difficult-to-recycle hoods from sparkling wine bottles to advance Circular Making goals –– thereby diverting four tonnes of waste from landfill, streamlining production, and simplifying recycling for customers.

And, last but certainly not least, Hughson presented her group’s inaugural Hall of Fame Award to Nerida Kelton. PKN noted that this award is dedicated to celebrating and immortalizing the achievements of exceptional women, inspiring future leaders, promoting equality, preserving industry history, and fostering a collaborative, professional community. 

In presenting the honor to Kelton, Hughson said: "Today we recognize and honor an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within the packaging sector. This dedicated individual has not only excelled in her professional role but has also significantly influenced the packaging industry through her visionary approach and groundbreaking work in education on sustainability and save food packaging.

“She heads up one of our industry’s peak bodies and is a senior executive on a global packaging body. She volunteers her time to participate in conferences and moderate forums; she consults to regulatory bodies; she is involved in developing guidelines and resources; she is a mentor to many and has long been a champion for women in packaging. She is a trailblazer and a most worthy recipient of our inaugural Hall of Fame Award."