How To Better Prepare For And Negotiate EPR For Packaging In Your Organisation

In today’s business landscape, obligated producers are facing increasing financial pressure under the legislative reform of Extended Producer Responsibility however, there is often a lack of wider awareness and understanding of the growing demands of packaging compliance within obligated businesses. This article will provide guidance on how to navigate the challenges of EPR within your organisation, as well as explaining how we can support you.  

As an organisation working with many obligated businesses, Clarity are aware of the immense pressure professionals are under when it comes to the financial implications of EPR. What was once an annual task has now, for many organisations, evolved to a full-time commitment. Clarity understands and empathises with the significant burden placed upon those managing their companies’ packaging obligations and our team work to mitigate this pressure as much as possible. 

If this task falls on you, here are some actionable steps you can take to better navigate and prepare for EPR in your organisation: 

Engage with your chosen compliance partner to deliver internal stakeholder briefings. These briefings serve as an opportunity to invite key individuals within your organisation who you need to get onboard with packaging EPR. By educating stakeholders on the importance and urgency of the packaging waste regulation reforms, it will allow you to foster a sense of shared responsibility and gain their support. 

To advocate for attention to EPR at board level, it is crucial you are up to date with the regulatory changes and have access to comprehensive information and guidance. Request a breakdown of your impact assessment for EPR from your compliance scheme, this will provide you with valuable and specific insights into the impact of EPR on your business, including costs. By highlighting the financial implications, you are able to further highlight the impact of EPR within the board room.

Establish a dedicated working group within your organisation to ensure you stay ahead of key dates and reporting deadlines associated with EPR. This working group should comprise individuals from various relevant departments, such as sustainability, supply chain, finance and legal. The more buy-in you can secure from different stakeholders, the smoother and less burdensome the transition to EPR, and the compliance process in general, will be. Your Clarity Compliance Manager will be more than happy to participate in working group sessions offering guidance and expertise. 

Achieving a seamless transition to EPR within your business requires a proactive approach and stakeholder engagement. By creating understanding, gathering comprehensive facts to demonstrate the newfound impact of packaging compliance and establishing a dedicated working group, your business will be in a better position to efficiently navigate EPR.

Do you or your business require further information about Extended Producer Responsibility? Reach out to our team of experts to book an EPR consultation to review your business’ needs.