Sustainable Packaging Innovation Forum USA

27th - 28th October 2026

Chicago, USA

John Garnett

Senior Vice President of Technical, Sustainability, and Innovation

Charter Next Generation

John Garnett serves as Senior Vice President of Technical, Sustainability, & Innovation at Charter Next Generation (CNG), a leading provider of sustainable specialty films and material science solutions across the food, consumer goods, industrial, and healthcare markets. With over two decades of experience in sustainability, technology development, and leadership in the materials and consumer-packaged goods (CPG) sectors, Garnett brings invaluable expertise to his role at CNG.
Garnett’s strategic vision seamlessly integrates innovation and sustainability into CNG’s growth strategy and ongoing operations, driving technical excellence and transforming material science into market-driven applications. By aligning CNG’s commitment to customer success with a culture of continuous improvement and forward-thinking innovation, Garnett leads his team to spearhead the advancement of sustainable solutions, including the company’s GreenArrow™ portfolio of certified sustainable films, driving progress towards a more circular economy.
Prior to joining CNG, Garnett held key leadership positions at Dow Chemical and Conagra Brands, leading technology development efforts in materials innovation, sustainable packaging, and food technology. Throughout his career, Garnett has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to building exceptional teams and fostering technical leadership.

John Garnett's sessionsView full agenda

Day 0

Monday 26th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session type
17:00 - 18:00
Day 1

Tuesday 27th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session type
08:45 - 08:55
Welcome words 
Institute of Packaging Professionals
09:15 - 10:00
EPR compliance infrastructure: What do the rules require and what can the market deliver? 
RecycleMe | ALDI USA | Unilever | The Recycling Partnership
Plenary
10:00 - 10:45
Plenary
10:45 - 11:15
11:15 - 11:40
‘Design for recycling’: Why we need more dialogue between upstream and downstream 
Kenvue | Sustainable Packaging Podcast with Cory Connors, presented by Atlantic Packaging
Breakout
11:40 - 12:20
Plenary
12:20 - 12:30
12:30 - 13:30
15:00 - 15:30
15:30 - 16:15
16:15 - 17:00
16:15 - 17:00
Solutions hub
17:00 - 18:00
Day 2

Wednesday 28th October 2026

Time
Session title
Session type
08:45 - 08:55
08:50 - 09:30
Case study
09:50 - 10:00
10:00 - 10:30
10:30 - 11:10
Reuse at scale: What works, what doesn’t, and pathways forward 
Mastercard | Tomra | Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Plenary
11:10 - 11:50
Circular economy as industrial strategy: How to build stronger value chains and local economies 
Martin Brower | Washington State Department of Commerce | WRAP | PR3
Plenary
12:30 - 13:30
13:30 - 15:00
15:00 - 15:20
Plenary