Sustainable Packaging Innovation Forum USA

27th - 28th October 2026

Chicago, USA

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Lightning Talks

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AI and automation in sustainable packaging’: Leading industry applications and strategic opportunities

  • Speaker: Matt Saunders, managing partner, New Earth Ventures
Lightning Talks 

Speaker

Previous session:

Q&A with CalRecycle: What’s the state of play in the largest US market?

Next session:

AI and automation in sustainable packaging: Leading industry applications and strategic opportunities

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Day 0

Monday 26th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
12:00pm - 4:00pm
Visit to TerraCycle's sorting facility and operations center 
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Pre-conference drinks 
Day 1

Tuesday 27th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
8:45am - 8:55am
Welcome words 
Institute of Packaging Professionals
8:55am - 9:15am
Sustainable packaging innovation: What it means today for industry and consumers 
Smurfit Westrock
Fireside chat
9:15am - 10:00am
EPR compliance infrastructure: What do the rules require and what can the market deliver? 
RecycleMe | The Recycling Partnership | ALDI USA | Unilever
Plenary
10:00am - 10:45am
How to leverage packaging as an asset: Data, materials and what actually drives ROI 
Reverse Logistics Group | Ahold Delhaize USA | Mars
Plenary
10:45am - 11:15am
Networking break
11:15am - 11:40am
‘Design for recycling’: Why we need more dialogue between upstream and downstream 
Kenvue | Sustainable Packaging Podcast with Cory Connors, presented by Atlantic Packaging
Breakout
11:40am - 12:20pm
The right tech for the right material: How to advance a more circular economy for plastics 
ExxonMobil Signature Polymers | Amcor
Plenary
12:20pm - 12:30pm
Lightning Talks 
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Lunch
1:30pm - 2:15pm
Breakout sessions - Round 1 
2:15pm - 3:00pm
Breakout sessions - Round 2 
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Afternoon break
3:30pm - 4:15pm
Case studies 
4:15pm - 5:00pm
Solution hubs 
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Networking drinks
Day 2

Wednesday 28th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session theme
Session type
8:45am - 8:55am
Opening remarks 
8:50am - 9:30am
The network effect: What happens when the value chain moves together 
McDonald's | The Coca-Cola Company | Novolex
Case study
9:30am - 9:50am
Q&A with CalRecycle: What’s the state of play in the largest US market? 
CalRecycle
Q&A
9:50am - 10:00am
Lightning Talks 
10:00am - 10:30am
Networking break
10:30am - 11:10am
Reuse at scale: What works, what doesn’t, and pathways forward 
Mastercard | Tomra | Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Plenary
11:10am - 11:50am
Circular economy as industrial strategy: How to build stronger value chains and local economies 
Martin Brower | Washington State Department of Commerce
Plenary
11:50am - 12:30pm
Innovation that sells: translating consumer behavior into new market opportunities 
Keurig Dr Pepper | Rabobank
Plenary
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Lunch
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Roundtables 
3:00pm - 3:20pm
Participatory closing session: Roundtables wrap-up and key takeaways 
Institute of Packaging Professionals
Plenary

Contact

For any questions on this event, please contact:

Lia Da Giau

Senior Project Manager

Contact Lia 

Emma Goodyer

Partnerships Manager

Contact Emma 

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Our sustainable packaging series include biannual in-person forums in Europe and North America, webinars and podcasts discussing business sustainability insights and packaging innovation updates with leading expert voices.

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