“Sustainability is an ongoing transformation process”

Ms Marm, as Head of Global Sustainability at Siegwerk, you are responsible for the company’s global sustainability and circular economy strategy. What personally motivated you to pursue a career in sustainability, and what do you find most inspiring about it?

For me, sustainability is much more than a professional field. I believe that economic success and social responsibility must go hand in hand. At a time when we are facing the impacts of climate change, resource scarcity and growing social challenges, companies can play a decisive role in driving positive change.

What particularly motivates me is working with customers, suppliers and colleagues to make packaging more sustainable and turn the circular economy into reality. Sustainable packaging does not emerge at a single point; it can only be achieved when all stakeholders take responsibility together.

This approach is also reflected in my PhD. As part of my research, I studied informal plastic recycling systems in Kenya. I worked closely with people living and working under precarious conditions at landfill sites and in small recycling businesses. The research helped demonstrate how closely these people’s everyday lives are connected to global ambitions around recycling and the use of recycled materials, and how working with partners along the value chain can help improve working and living conditions. This experience further strengthened my conviction that sustainability depends not only on technologies, materials or recycling rates. People are always at the centre. The systemic inequalities faced by many of these workers have reinforced my belief that a just transition is essential.

With HorizonNOW 2030, Siegwerk has set ambitious sustainability targets. Which measures have already proven successful in practice, and what challenges remain?

With HorizonNOW 2030, we have deliberately adopted a holistic approach. For us, sustainability is not a standalone project but an integral part of our corporate strategy. One of the most important lessons we have learned in recent years is that sustainable change can only succeed when it is embedded in the core business and supported throughout the organisation.

Our focus on clear, measurable targets has proved particularly effective. These include further reducing our emissions, consistently using renewable energy, our SustainUP programme for a more responsible supply chain, and developing products that enable the circular economy. At the same time, we have integrated sustainability more strongly into regional responsibilities. This means that it is not only managed at global level but also actively implemented locally.

One of the biggest challenges remains the complexity of the transformation. Issues such as Scope 3 emissions, human rights in global supply chains and the creation of functioning circular systems cannot be addressed by a single company. They require close cooperation across the entire value chain.

My most important learning is this: nobody has to be perfect from the outset. What matters is setting ambitious targets, measuring progress transparently and being willing to continuously learn together with partners. Sustainability is not a state that can be achieved; it is an ongoing transformation process.

Printing inks often receive less attention than packaging materials. What contribution can they actually make to recyclability and the circular economy?

Although printing inks and coatings account for only a small part of a package, their impact on its sustainability can be significant. They can influence whether packaging is recyclable, how efficiently it can be recycled and which material structures are feasible in the first place.

We therefore do not view inks and coatings as merely another component of packaging, but as an important lever for the circular economy. It is particularly important to take a holistic view of the overall packaging design. Circular packaging can only be created when all its components work together effectively. Innovative printing inks and functional coatings can, for example, help simplify packaging structures, replace additional material layers or enable the use of alternative materials such as paper for more demanding applications. This can conserve valuable resources and improve recyclability.

No single material or technology will solve the challenges of the circular economy on its own. But by continuously developing printing inks and coatings, we can make an important contribution to enabling more sustainable packaging solutions and improving the overall circularity of packaging.

The proportion of women in leadership positions still has room for improvement in the packaging industry. Siegwerk has set a specific target in this area. Why do you see diverse teams as a driver of innovation?

For me, diversity is first and foremost about equal opportunities and enabling people to fulfil their potential regardless of gender, background or origin – ultimately for the benefit of the company. At the same time, I am convinced that diversity is also a key success factor for businesses. Particularly in an environment undergoing such profound change as the packaging industry, we need different perspectives, experiences and ways of thinking. Innovation rarely emerges when everyone has the same experiences and approaches problems in the same way. The best solutions often arise when different perspectives come together, existing assumptions are challenged and new ideas are combined.

Diversity, of course, goes far beyond gender. As a global company, we work every day with people from different cultures, regions and professional backgrounds. This diversity is a major strength. It helps us develop innovative solutions to the challenges of the future and successfully drive the transition towards more sustainable packaging. For me, diversity and innovation are therefore closely linked: the more diverse the perspectives, the greater the potential for new ideas and sustainable progress.

Editor: Alexander Stark, FACHPACK360°