Blog

• Scorecard seminar, misc.
  
  
  • ECRM created the software for the Walmart Scorecard
    
    
    • “Efficient collaborative retail marketing”
  
  
  • Direct suppliers are REQUIRED to enter packages into scorecard
    
    
    • Via “retail link” i.e. per vendor number and item number
    
    
    • Allows you to compare with packages in same product category i.e. dairy. ECRM is working to narrow the categories down so you are only compared with direct competitors.
  
  
  • Indirect suppliers do not have access to retail link.
  
  
  • Focus of Score: Material type, material weight, material distance, packaging efficiency
    
    
    • Distance: the point the package travels from point of conversion to point of fulfillment.
  
  
  • Completion rate of Scores:
    
    
    • Each item sold in Walmart has its own number. Suppliers are required to fill out a Score for each item number. Currently, COMPLETION of scores is the easiest way to influence purchasing decisions. In other words, suppliers that have more than 85% of their Scores completed receive an “A” in the Walmart world; suppliers that have 55% complete receive a “B;” everything below comes up as a “red flag” in Walmart-internal.?
  
  
  • Package modeling software: Different than the Score card but formatted the same way; this is what we subscribe to.
    
    
    • Intended for indirect suppliers to utilize the modeling software in such a way that they can approach their customers (direct suppliers to Walmart) and explain how by doing X you can improve your score and here is the proof.
    
    
    • “Reversed engineering;” encouraged doing this on competitor’s packages, too.

• Paperboard Packaging Council seminar, misc:
  
  
  • Fiber-based packaging is a by-product of the lumber industry? I need to look into this…
  
  
  • I asked why the recovery rates for corrugated were higher than paperboard…
    
    
    • Answer: Difference is attributed to post-industrial collection (corrugate) vs. post-consumer (paperboard). I need to examine this further.
  
  
  • Fibers can be recycled 6-8 times before the fibers become too small to reprocess
  
  
  • China currently buys most of our post-consumer mixed paper and reprocesses it; we need to find a domestic source for recycled fibers.
  
  
  • All corrugated has 46% post-industrial content in the U.S.
  
  
  • SBS is almost ALWAYS virgin fiber, with the omission of MWV’s Natralock.
  
  
  • I asked what the difference in energy demands are for virgin vs. recycled paper; I received a very ambiguous answer?apparently a controversial topic.

• Plastic fundamentals seminar:
  
  
  • Discussed the benefits of plastic such as:
    
    
    • Keeps food fresher for longer;
    
    
    • Lightweight;
    
    
    • Didn’t address fossil fuel consumption;
    
    
    • Didn’t discuss MSW rates;
    
    
    • Did say that recycling for non bottle-PET has grown from 7.5% to 11% in the last year;
  • ACC supports re-writing the Toxics Control Act, which we referenced in our first Newsletter.
  
  
  • The ACC released LCI data on RPET and recycled HDPE. HURRAY!

• SVN meeting:
  
  
  • There are a ton of different organizations that Walmart has its involvement in; I will try to explain the various relationships as follows:
    
    
    • ISTA—transit assessment; I don’t know what this is.
    
    
    • Global Packaging Project: Walmart funds this but is not the only CPG company on the board; this looks for a GLOBAL metric for assessing the sustainability of packages and product; this is bigger than the Scorecard, as the Scorecard will be a component of these metrics; the metrics used will be country-specific. This grew out of the CONSUMER GOODS FORUM, which was originally called the GLOBAL CEO FORUM. The GPP metrics look to take into account the Scorecard metrics, COMPASS, and other existing and legitimate metrics. If one wants the inclusion of another metric, it must be reviewed for application prior to being incorporated into the GPP metrics.
    
    
    • ISO project for Sustainable Packaging: I don’t know.
    
    
    • Scorecard: For packaging only; scores based on ITEM level.
    
    
    • Supplier Sustainability Assessment: Consists of 15 questions, which are asked of all product suppliers to Walmart; “scores” based on CORPORATE level.
    
    
    • Sustainability Index: the Assessment is part of the Sustainability Index, which is a project of the Sustainability Consortium. Again, Walmart funds this organization but is not the only CPGs company that participates.

• Points of discussion:
  
  
  • “Sustainable material” metric: What does this mean? What are the limitations?
    
    
    • Should everyone get the same “score” until clarified?
    
    
    • Should we remove the metric?
    
    
    • Is Recovery taken into consideration?
    
    
    • Is it a LCA approach?
    
    
    • Does it consider conversion or primary production?
    
    
    • What about toxics?
    
    
    • Sourcing certificates?
  • Determined that it would be helpful to have a health and safety metric AND a sustainable sourcing metric.
• Should inks/adhesives be included in GPP and Scorecard?

• Not until proof that it has an impact?I have proof and will see that it gets into the right person’s hands.

One of my professors from undergrad, Dr. Scott Paeth, continues to be a sounding board for my inquiries about ethics, even several months into my post-grad life. As my academic advisor and my Senior Thesis mentor, I had the opportunity of developing a relationship with him that expanded beyond the parameters of the classroom; I still consider him a great friend and mentor.

Two months into my new job as the Sustainability Coordinator at Dordan Mfg., I was struggling with the “ethics of sustainability.” I shot Dr. Paeth the following email, looking for any direction to point my ethical compass towards:

Hey!

How is the school year going? Good stuff?

Okay, so consider the following: