Assessment tools are emerging

摘要

One of the key aspects of sustainability is the need to assess the ramifications of decisions about sourcing, design, and logistics. That's because sustainable packaging is not simply about the package, but also about the context of the package.rnThe Sustainable Packaging Coalition and IBM are developing tools that will help in these sometimes complex assessments. Exploring how the tools work says a lot about the interrelatedness of package, process, and environment.rnAs the packaging industry has recognized the strategic need for incorporating sustainability considerations, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition~(SM) (SPC)-an industry working group with more than 170 member companies along the supply chain-seeks to respond to the need for practical, credible guidance. This fall, the SPC will release COMPASS~(SM) (Comparative Packaging Assessment), a tool that allows packaging designers and engineers to compare the human and environmental impacts of designs. COMPASS will be released in beta version to SPC members in the fall and will be available to all through a modest licensing fee in the winter of 2009. Visit www.design-compass.org for more information.