276 - Ranpak is filling the void with sustainable solutions! David Murgio, CSO

People of Packaging Podcast

Make sure you check out the latest sustainability report from Ranpak HERE!

About the Guest(s):

David Murgio is the Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ranpak, a company specializing in sustainable packaging solutions. He has a background in corporate law with extensive experience in corporate governance and problem-solving. David transitioned from practicing law to focusing on operations within investment firms before joining Ranpak about six years ago. His role combines his analytical skills and passion for sustainability, allowing him to oversee sustainability initiatives and collaborate across various departments and clients to drive ecological goals forward.

About the Sponsors:

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Episode Summary:

In this riveting episode of the People of Packaging podcast, host Adam Peek welcomes David Murgio, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ranpak, to discuss the critical role of sustainability in the packaging industry. Bringing a unique perspective from his legal and corporate background, David sheds light on Ranpak’s initiatives and the broader implications of environmental stewardship in packaging.

Covering topics such as the importance of product protection, the advantages of paper-based packaging, and the ongoing trend of increasing e-commerce, David's insights reflect the innovative strides Ranpak is making toward more sustainable solutions. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how simple packaging changes can markedly reduce environmental footprints without disrupting consumer habits or business operations. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in sustainable practices and the future of packaging.

Key Takeaways:

* Importance of Product Protection: Sustainability includes ensuring items are protected during shipping to avoid waste from damaged goods.

* Paper-Based Packaging Benefits: Ranpak focuses on using 100% paper-based packaging, which is renewable, biodegradable, and easily recyclable, making it a more sustainable option than many plastics.

* End-of-Life Impact: Paper packaging solutions offer significant benefits over plastics in terms of ease of recycling and environmental impact at the end of their lifecycle.

* E-commerce and Packaging: The rise in e-commerce increases the need for effective and sustainable packaging solutions that can reduce the plastic footprint.

* Sustainability Strategies: Companies can quickly implement paper-based packaging solutions to enhance sustainability without major changes to their products or consumer experiences.

Notable Quotes:

* "I'm actually a lawyer... It helps in a couple of different ways. First of all, so I was a corporate lawyer, which meant that I worked on these large, sprawling projects that had multiple different facets."

* "At Rampack, our focus and our product is so focused on sustainability. I get to lean forward and talk to customers and clients and people like you, Adam."

* "Our business at its core is about pushing the sustainability ball up the hill."

* "If a packaging system or a packaging configuration doesn't protect the product that you're shipping, it's useless."

* "It's just always feels to me that as a society, it's kind of crazy to use a substrate that's going to last hundreds of decades to fulfill an application that has a useful life of a day or two."

Resources:

* Specright: Specright

* Treyac Compass: Learn more at Trayak

For more insightful discussions on packaging sustainability and innovative practices, listen to the full episode and stay tuned for more enlightening content from the People of Packaging podcast.

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