Director / Head of Sustainability

COMPANY BACKGROUND/CULTURE

Berlin Packaging is a multibillion-dollar global supplier of rigid packaging products and services supporting a diverse array of customers across all sectors. Berlin distinguishes itself through its customer-centric Hybrid Packaging Supplier® business model. This ‘best of breed’ combination of manufacturing, distribution, and consulting services supports Berlin’s stated mission: To increase its customers’ net income by helping customers grow their sales, reduce their costs, and improve their productivity.

The Company has a stronghold in North America, where it has operated since 1898, and a rapidly expanding global footprint, including operations in China, South Africa, and five European countries. Berlin Packaging operates in Europe through its Bruni Glass division, headquartered in Milan, Italy, and its Bruni Erben division, headquartered in Hadleigh, England.

With nearly 50,000 available SKUs, over 200 packaging consultants, and more than 130 sales and warehouse locations across North America and Europe, the Company has the right products, expertise, and geographic proximity to help its customers increase their net income. Berlin maintains an industry-leading track record that includes 30 consecutive years of record earnings growth (including 2020) and a ten-year growth rate 10x that of the packaging industry.

Berlin Packaging surrounds its product offerings with an unparalleled suite of related services and specialty divisions. Among these services are its Studio One Eleven branding strategy and design consultancy with offices in Chicago, Milan (IT), Hadleigh (UK) and Wijchen (NL), Berlin Global Sourcing solutions, its E3 management, and business process consulting service, Berlin Financial Services which offers financing for equipment and capital improvements, Berlin’s proactive Quality Service Division, Dangerous Goods packaging and shipping systems, and Qorpak laboratory supplies.

Notably, while Berlin Packaging does offer distribution services, Berlin Packaging is not a distributor. In contrast to conventional distributors, Berlin does not merely buy and break ‘bulk’- The majority of Berlin’s ware is held under a customer-specific inventory management program, which begets sticky customer relationships and very low churn.

Similarly, Berlin distinguishes itself from manufacturers in that it does not own or operate manufacturing plants or equipment, thus freeing itself of material or process-imposed limitations. With the freedom to apply the best technologies from its roster of over 900 suppliers worldwide, Berlin’s clients benefit by getting access to solutions that are fully-optimized for their intended application.

Berlin’s Anything is PossibleTM mentality permeates the culture as they continuously strive to improve every experiential touchpoint for customers and their employees. Berlin demonstrates more passion and effort and consistently goes above and beyond in the pursuit of thrill for customers and long-term success for Berlin Packaging.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is not an isolated practice area or discipline within Berlin Packaging; instead, Sustainability and sustainable options are woven into Berlin’s consultative dialogue with its customers. Indeed, as part of Berlin Packaging’s commitment to increasing its customers’ net income, Berlin takes pride in being a comprehensive resource for cutting-edge technologies and trends within the packaging industry. Sustainable packaging solutions are a critical part of Berlin’s ability to provide value to its customers.

Some of the ways Berlin Packaging has advanced the sustainability agenda include:

• Early adoption of bio-based resins, including Polyhydroxybutyrate (Biopol).
• Driving development and adoption of products with enhanced recyclability; all-plastic trigger sprayers, for example.
• Early-stage partnership with Ecologic Brands on their fiber-based eco.bottleTM.
• Regular work to optimize component gram weights.
• Regular work to reduce freight and greenhouse gases by optimizing palletization and freight density and minimizing transportation distances.
• Focus on reducing or eliminating the need for secondary protective packaging.
• Member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Sustainability will build and execute the sustainability strategy for Berlin Packaging in close partnership with internal and external stakeholders. S/he will lead commercially and report progress to senior leadership and external stakeholders.

This position requires a deep and broad knowledge of the relevant sustainability landscape for the packaging industry, an intrinsic understanding of circular economy and climate action principles, and an appreciation for data management and reporting criticality. This role will work cross-functionally in a geographically diverse culture, and he/she should care deeply about the environmental, social, and governance impacts of the Company. The Head of Sustainability will be a champion of the Company’s sustainability initiatives to internal and external customers, suppliers, and regulatory agencies and will engage on sustainability issues throughout the Company from facility-level to C-suite.

The Head of Sustainability will lead collaborative development / own executional components of the ‘Sustainability’ pillar of our “Focused 5” growth drivers and define the collaborations needed to implement our sustainability program. Additionally, you will collaborate with industry associations, customers, third-party vendors, and other partners to build partnerships and alliances on topics such as increasing recycling rates, resource stewardship, and GHG Scope 3 emissions.

• Plans, implements, and maintains Berlin Packaging’s sustainability programs.
• Leads a cross-functional initiative to plant and nurture a ‘culture of sustainability’ within the organization from top to bottom. This initiative includes managing non-direct reports to set and achieve goals across multiple business functions and locations.
• Leads and manages initiatives to quantify and communicate the Company’s impact and benefit to society through resource utilization improvements.
• Leads and manages initiatives to identify relevant memberships, registrations, and certifications.
• Interact with, research, and prepare data responses addressing customer, supplier, and third-party agencies’ requests, inquiries, questionnaires, and audits.
• Work with our sales & marketing departments to ensure updated claims and certifications are appropriately described, and that collateral/public information sources are updated appropriately.
• Reports back to our Senior Leadership Team and a board-level ESG Committee on progress toward goals.
• Works collaboratively with other Company functions to prepare an annual Sustainability Report consistent with best-in-class reporting standards.
• Collaborate with the Company’s legal and HR teams and Company investor representatives to assemble an annual ESG reporting package consistent with best-in-class reporting standards.
• Keep current your own sustainability subject matter expertise while developing internal training materials and facilitating internal training on the topic of Sustainability.
• Represents Berlin Packaging in high profile external initiatives and collaborate with industry peers and customers to address industry-wide sustainability challenges.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum 10 years’ corporate or business experience; experience in manufacturing preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a corporate sustainability-related role, preferably developing and implementing a Sustainability program, achieving Sustainability targets, creating reporting/metrics, or facilitating the achievement of corporate accreditations/ certifications.
• Knowledge of renewable energy & efficiency, corporate social responsibility reporting, environmental management, product life cycle assessment, and design for Sustainability.
• Extensive knowledge of global sustainability trends and ability to identify risks and opportunities.
• Experienced in performing, analyzing, and presenting lifecycle assessments (LCAs).
• Analytical, results-oriented, with experience in managing data and using advanced Excel. Proficiency with Tableau, Qlik, or similar business analytics software a plus.
• Strong project planning skills and the aptitude to work on multiple projects and initiatives involving numerous senior stakeholders throughout the Company.
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and set short, mid, and long- term objectives.
• Broad experience with external stakeholder communication, including knowledge of sustainability reporting frameworks including, but not limited to, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
• Extensive leadership experience and capability. Solid business acumen and understanding of business levers.
• Experience working cross-functionally and across multiple geographies and cultures, especially in global corporate teams.

Personal Characteristics

• Solid executive presence and an ability to tailor content and delivery to build trust and win support across various levels within the organization.
• Strong verbal and written communications, presentation, and influencing skills; consultative mindset.
• Flexible and action-oriented, with an ability to adapt to changing situations and circumstances.
• A demonstrated ability to juggle multiple projects while working effectively under the pressure of changing priorities.
• High-energy style, flexible and adaptive, able to work well at all levels in a fast-paced environment.
• The ability to distill and convey complex information to audiences with a wide range of expertise/aptitudes.
• Strong organizational skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work well with others in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. EDUCATION
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Environmental Science or a field of science related to Sustainability, with a minor in (or demonstrated coursework emphasis on) environmental studies.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Environmental Science or a field of science related to Sustainability, with a minor in (or demonstrated coursework emphasis on) environmental studies.

COMPENSATION

A market-based compensation package will be structured for the final candidate consisting of a competitive base salary and bonus opportunity, plus benefits.

TO APPLY

Please email Flora Jiang at Flora.Jiang@KornFerry.com.