Scott Byrne Appointed to Sustainable Packaging Coalition Executive Committee
October 6, 2025 | 4 min to read
Scott Byrne, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Sonoco, joined the Executive Committee of the material‑neutral Sustainable Packaging Coalition, reinforcing Sonoco’s role in shaping circular packaging through collaboration on recyclability, recycled content and policy engagement. Byrne views the appointment as both personal and strategic, leveraging Sonoco’s scale across formats, paper mills and recycling to advance innovation, packaging recovery and carbon and chemical‑safety goals while building industry consensus.
Sonoco recently announced that The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) has appointed Scott Byrne, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Sonoco, to its Executive Committee. In this article, he reflects on his appointment, as well as Sonoco’s efforts to advance circular solutions across the packaging sector.
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition, part of the non-profit GreenBlue, is a forum for brand owners, converters and material suppliers to collaborate. It brings together a number of stakeholders to address packaging challenges, such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), recyclability and sustainable design. It is also known for its initiatives such as the How2Recycle label, recycled content certification, and its Safer Chemicals Clearinghouse.
Byrne explains: “The SPC is unique because it is material-neutral and industry-driven. It’s not a policy organization, but it plays an important role in helping brand owners and suppliers to navigate sustainability outside of regulation. That balance is critical as we see a shift from voluntary initiatives toward policy-driven outcomes.”
Direct Appointment
The SPC’s ten-member Executive Committee plays a central role in guiding its strategy. Members serve as ambassadors for the Coalition and provide recommendations on projects and goals, while ensuring initiatives remain relevant to the rapidly evolving packaging landscape.
Byrne was one of seven individuals directly appointed to the committee, while the remaining seats were recently filled through an election process among SPC members.
He says: “When the invitation came, I was happy to say yes. It was a little unexpected, but we’ve had a long-standing relationship with the SPC – we’ve attended events and provided our insights into numerous projects and collaboratives over the years. Ultimately, this is a great opportunity to collaborate with brand owners, customers and competitors to shape what sustainability in packaging should look like.”
Byrne’s appointment adds to his already significant list of industry roles. He previously served as President of AMERIPEN’s board and continues to sit on the board of AMERIPEN, as well as his appointed position on Oregon’s Recycling System Advisory Council. He sees these positions as complementary rather than overlapping, providing multiple avenues for him to support developments in packaging sustainability from different angles.
For Byrne, his appointment to the SPC Executive Committee represents a personal milestone, as well as the chance to further solidify Sonoco’s position as a leader and driver in sustainable packaging.
He explains: “Many packaging companies are members of SPC, but not all are active in its leadership committees. Being part of the Executive Committee demonstrates that Sonoco is recognized as a leader in the sustainable packaging space. It also allows us to bring a fact-based perspective, informed by our unique position across packaging formats, paper mills and recycling operations.”
Pursuing the Agenda
Byrne says the SPC’s current priorities are centered around three pillars: innovation in packaging design, policy engagement and packaging recovery.
He notes that while recyclability and end-of-life solutions dominate the agenda today, the Committee is also expected to address topics such as carbon footprint reduction, safer material choices and certification schemes for recycled content, in the coming years.
Commenting on the challenges of representing a material-neutral coalition, Byrne says: “Every packaging format has strengths and weaknesses. Metal cans, for instance, are highly recyclable but inherently carry a larger amount of embodied carbon; and flexible films have lower weight but limited recyclability. Finding balance in that conversation is difficult, but it gives the SPC credibility. By the time projects are launched, they reflect an opportunity to build industry consensus.”
As the industry grapples with developing regulations, consumer expectations, and the increasingly pressing issue of climate change, Byrne’s role on the SPC Executive Committee, as well as AMERIPEN and Oregon’s Recycling System Advisory Council is set to ensure that Sonoco – and its customers – remain at the forefront of the circular packaging economy.
About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global leader in value-added, sustainable metal and fiber consumer and industrial packaging. The Company is now a multi-billion-dollar enterprise with approximately 23,400 employees working in 285 operations in 40 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands. Guided by our purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life.,® we strive to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence to provide solutions that better serve all our stakeholders and support a more sustainable future. Sonoco was proudly named one of America’s Most Trustworthy and Responsible Companies by Newsweek in 2025. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com.