The Clemson FRESH Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit, scheduled for March 3-5, 2025, promises to be a transformative event. This annual gathering brings together influential leaders from both industry and academia to discuss collaborative efforts, innovative solutions, and forward-thinking ideas. The theme, "Creating Value While Advancing Sustainability," will be explored through various presentations and engaging events. Attendees can look forward to waterfall hikes, tours of the South Carolina Botanical Garden, and insightful talks from distinguished speakers who are pioneers in sustainability, innovation, and leadership.

Aligning Sustainability with Business Value

The summit will delve into how companies can better align their sustainability ambitions with value creation imperatives. Lee Addams, a partner and co-leader at EY-Parthenon, will highlight the importance of articulating and delivering value within commercial businesses. He will explore how sustainability efforts can prove their worth by building stronger relationships across the agricultural production value chain. By leveraging emerging incentives and financing mechanisms, companies can create opportunities for input suppliers, producers, processors, manufacturers, packaging providers, and retailers.

Lee's presentation will emphasize that while many companies' sustainability initiatives often stall or fall short, there are missed opportunities to fully integrate these efforts with the financial goals of the business. By focusing on value creation, companies can enhance their sustainability programs and establish long-term sustainable outcomes. Additionally, he will discuss how this approach can foster better partnerships throughout the field-to-consumer supply chain. Emerging incentives and financing mechanisms play a crucial role in creating opportunities for various stakeholders in the agri-food value chain, ensuring that sustainability efforts are not only environmentally sound but also financially viable.

Pioneering Sustainable Innovations in Industry

The summit will feature several speakers who will share their experiences in implementing sustainable practices within their respective industries. Kathy Bolhous, CEO of Charter Next Generation (CNG), will discuss the company's journey toward becoming a leader in sustainable films and flexible packaging. She will outline the intentional strategies and investments that have driven CNG's success, including near-term and long-term commitments to sustainability. Rich Everly from BMW Group Battery Line will provide insights into the construction of a state-of-the-art battery plant in Woodruff, South Carolina, which integrates seventeen distinct sustainability initiatives.

Kathy Bolhous will elaborate on the importance of creating a culture of change and innovation within an organization to meet the growing business imperative for sustainability. She will share specific examples of how CNG has successfully integrated sustainable practices into its operations, leading to significant advancements in the field of flexible packaging. Meanwhile, Rich Everly will offer a detailed account of BMW's 0 million investment in the Woodruff facility, highlighting the role of sustainability in the design and construction process. The plant, set to open in 2026, will produce sixth-generation batteries for electric vehicles and exemplify cutting-edge sustainability, flexibility, and digitization. Joshua Oleson from TMS will conclude the discussion by demonstrating how sustainable goals can lead to cost reductions and increased efficiency in the packaging supply chain, proving that sustainability does not have to come at the expense of profitability.