Packaging with Purpose: Insights from Sushil Iyer, Head of Global Packaging at Kenvue [Speaker Spotlight]

Sushil Iyer, Head of Global Packaging at Kenvue, is a seasoned leader renowned for his expertise in Research, Development, Packaging, Innovation, and Sustainability. With a master's in Plastics Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a bachelor's in Chemical Engineering, Sushil has excelled in diverse roles. In his current position, he oversees global packaging teams, fostering innovation and sustainability across a $15+ billion Consumer Health portfolio.

Previously as the VP of Global R&D, Packaging, Sustainability, and Engineering Innovation at Estee Lauder from 2016 to 2022, Sushil transformed the Value Chain, integrating external innovations and driving quality improvements. His extensive background includes leadership in supplier excellence, technical packaging, and project engineering, showcasing his commitment to strategic thinking and industry-first capabilities. With a track record of patents and awards, Sushil Iyer continues to drive positive change and innovation in the dynamic field of global packaging.

Awaiting Sushil's participation in our 7th Annual American Packaging Summit, we've asked him a few questions about his leadership style and thoughts on the current state of the industry. 

Here are some key highlights from our discussion: 

In your perspective, what are the key qualities that define a successful leader?

In my view, a successful leader embodies several key qualities. Foremost among these are the ability to align and engage their team with a clear vision, and to foster a supportive environment through active listening and effective coaching. Leading by example and expressing gratitude are also crucial, as they inspire trust and commitment. Additionally, empathy and a servant leadership approach are vital for understanding and addressing team needs. For instance, I believe in being hands-on and collaborating closely with my team to evaluate our product’s overall performance. This not only enhances our collective experience but ensures we remain focused on developing superior products.

What do you think are the most pressing challenges facing packaging sustainability today? How is Kenvue addressing them?

The most pressing challenges in packaging sustainability today are effective end-of-life management and the misconception that sustainable packaging compromises product quality. At Kenvue, we address these challenges through our Healthy Lives Mission (HLM), which is our comprehensive environmental, social, and governance strategy aimed at nurturing healthy people, enriching a healthy planet, and maintaining healthy practices.

Under our HLM, we are committed to ambitious goals: achieving 100% recyclable or refillable packaging by 2025, and reducing our use of virgin plastics in packaging by 50% by 2030. We believe in the power of collaboration and transparency to accelerate progress, which is why we adhere to the Consumer Goods Forum Golden Design Rules and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation commitments. Furthermore, Kenvue is actively partnering to develop an industry-standard environmental impact scoring system for cosmetics and personal care products as part of the EcoBeauty Consortium. We also promote end-to-end collaboration through industry consortiums and our supply chain ecosystem.

Our core purpose, 'Realize the extraordinary power of everyday care,' influences how we interact with people, innovate, and market our products. We ensure that our consumer experiences are data-driven, anchored in quality and efficacy, and timely. By continuously engaging with consumers and understanding their evolving needs, we innovate our products and packaging to meet these demands.

We are dedicated to making thoughtful choices in sustainable packaging design, materials, and technologies. These choices not only meet today’s standards but also enhance consumer satisfaction by maintaining the integrity of packaging—ensuring safety, aesthetics, and performance—without compromising on quality.

How do you ensure effective collaboration and communication among your diverse global teams?

We pride ourselves on our multicultural, multidisciplinary organization spanning North America, Latin America, EMEA, and APAC. The diverse capabilities and thought leadership within our teams, particularly in R&D, provide rich insights from varied backgrounds. To ensure effective collaboration and communication, it's crucial that we maintain clarity about our objectives, ensuring everyone is aligned and moving in the same direction.

Our operating model is designed to integrate segments, brands, regions, and functions, fostering a unified 'One Kenvue' way of working. This integration is underpinned by our core values: putting people first, caring fiercely, earning trust through science, and solving problems with courage. These values not only energize but also enable our teams to collaborate effectively and communicate consistently, all within a framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

These elements not only shape our value proposition but also differentiate us in the market. At Kenvue, our shared commitment to addressing everyday care needs unites us. Driven by a passion for innovation, our teams are always ready to tackle unmet personal care needs or find better solutions to existing challenges, demonstrating our collaborative spirit in action.

What strategies do you use to engage employees and stakeholders in sustainability efforts, fostering a culture of sustainability within the organization?

Kenvue's commitment to sustainability is embodied in our Healthy Lives Mission, which strategically focuses on three core pillars to engage employees and stakeholders:

Healthy People: We are dedicated to advancing the well-being of the communities where we operate. To achieve this, we equip our communities with innovative products and provide actionable information that empowers them to make healthier decisions daily.

Healthy Planet: Our efforts to foster a sustainable environment involve making responsible and renewable choices. We focus on protecting Earth’s health and its resources, conscientiously managing the environmental impacts of our operations. This includes initiatives like reducing waste, enhancing recycling processes, and adopting more sustainable manufacturing practices.

Healthy Practice: We promote a culture rooted in integrity, ethics, and transparency. These values are crucial for building trust with our stakeholders and fostering meaningful, long-term relationships. By maintaining high ethical standards and being transparent about our practices and impacts, we create a solid foundation for our sustainability efforts.

Moreover, our internal sustainable packaging playbook and design for recyclability policies standardize our approach to packaging development globally, ensuring consistency and adherence to our sustainability standards.

Together, these pillars not only drive our strategic decisions but also actively engage our employees and stakeholders, fostering a robust culture of sustainability within Kenvue. By involving everyone in these initiatives and demonstrating their impact, we ensure that sustainability is not just a policy but a lived value within our organization.

How does Kenvue collaborate with suppliers and partners to promote green packaging practices?

Our collaboration with suppliers and partners is integral to advancing our sustainable packaging initiatives under the Healthy Lives Mission. We engage with our partners in what we call an 'exponential ecosystem'—a dynamic network where we collectively explore, discover, and drive consumer-centric innovations that lead to extraordinary environmental solutions. This collaborative approach enables us to exceed the capabilities we could achieve independently.

We have established Joint Business Plans with our strategic suppliers, incorporating specific sustainability measures that align with our Healthy Lives Mission goals. These plans serve as a framework for integrating eco-friendly practices into our operations and ensure that our suppliers are not just aware of our sustainability objectives but are actively participating in meeting them.

Moreover, we consistently communicate our sustainability goals and the specifics of our Healthy Lives Mission to our suppliers and partners. This transparency forms the basis for them to adopt and integrate sustainable packaging practices effectively. As part of this initiative, we have pledged that 75% of our new product developments will utilize eco-design principles to enhance environmental performance by 2030. Eco-design in packaging not only reduces environmental impact but also drives innovation in how products are presented and protected.

For every new innovation we introduce to the market, we include specific sustainability requirements in the design briefs for our packaging suppliers. This ensures that every new product adheres to our high standards for sustainable packaging from the outset, reinforcing our commitment to a greener, more sustainable product lifecycle.

What role does consumer education and awareness play in Kenvue’s sustainability efforts regarding packaging? How does Kenvue cultivate eco-conscious behavior among its customers?

At Kenvue, we recognize that shifting consumer behavior is pivotal for achieving systemic sustainability changes. Consumer education and awareness are integral to our packaging sustainability efforts. We understand that to foster significant change, we must bring consumers along on this journey. This means we cannot simply make drastic changes to their favorite products; instead, we need to start where they are, engaging and guiding them through each step of the process.

To do this effectively, we actively listen to consumer feedback, allowing their behaviors and preferences to shape our innovations in packaging. Our packaging labels are meticulously designed to highlight sustainability benefits, whether it’s recyclability or the option to refill, ensuring that consumers are well-informed and can make conscious choices easily.

Additionally, our retail customers play a crucial role in accelerating our sustainability initiatives. They drive us to adopt more aggressive strategies, particularly in the U.S., where regulatory pressures may not be as stringent as in the EU. This dynamic pushes us to innovate faster and more responsibly.

Moreover, recognizing the importance of a collaborative approach to sustainability, we have set an ambitious target for our supply chain. By 2028, we aim for suppliers responsible for over 75% of our Scope 3 emissions to set science-based targets. This goal underscores our commitment to not only educating and involving consumers but also engaging our suppliers in our sustainability mission, ensuring that our efforts are comprehensive and contribute to broader environmental goals.

As we wrap up our conversation with Sushil, we hope you've enjoyed his insights into the ever-evolving world of packaging!
 
If you'd like to learn from more industry leaders, we invite you to join our upcoming 7th Annual American Packaging Summit!