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The focus of the beverage and liquid food industry is on intelligent circular systems and sustainable resource management in the production and packaging process as well as on the responsible use of raw materials.

Carelessly discarded packaging pollutes oceans and landscapes worldwide. The images of environmental pollution are well known and the need for action is great. Every individual bears responsibility.

Holistically sustainable: from production to packaging - innovative solutions for environmentally friendly meat and protein processing.

Consumers consider paper/cardboard packaging to be sustainable and the trend is moving towards fiber-based packaging. Flexible paper packaging is experiencing a renaissance.

Paper is a classic packaging material made from fibers. A distinction is made between primary and secondary fibers made from wood or waste paper. This article provides information on the various stages of paper production.

Cardboard packaging is stable and protects against mechanical stress. It is used as product packaging, outer packaging and transport packaging. Here you can find out everything about the production and use of cardboard and corrugated cardboard.

Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? We have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions in FAQs, which we offer VDMA members exclusively for download.

Plastic packaging usually consists of composite films that are difficult to recycle. Legislation therefore requires materials and combinations that enable a high recycling rate.

Plastics are very versatile due to their properties. Read on to find out how plastics are made, what types there are, what the most common packaging plastics are and the selection criteria.

Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? There is no general answer to this question, as it depends on the product to be packaged and the resulting requirements.

Optimized packaging design and innovative processing techniques have led to packaging becoming lighter and lighter over the years, with the same or better packaging performance and stability.

Food and packaging machinery plays a crucial role in reducing food waste. Advanced processes in food processing and packaging extend shelf life and protect against spoilage.

A legal opinion commissioned by several associations on the legality of Article 29 (1-3) of the PPWR revealed several concerns.

EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius announces action on reusable transport packaging quota.

From 01.05.2025, packaging licensing in Spain will be extended to industrial packaging. This also applies to transport packaging for machine deliveries.

On December 18, 2023, the EU Council reached an agreement ("general approach") on the proposal for the EU Packaging Regulation, after the EU Parliament had already approved its position on the document on November 22, 2023.

In pharmaceutical companies, the need for fast, lean processes is increasing. In this context, digitization can help shorten market entry times, while maintaining and even improving product quality. However, players must also arm themselves against threats.

On 26 October 2023, the focus day at the Future Food Factory OWL of the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (TH OWL) revolved around the topic of sustainability through digitalization in food production.

EU Regulation 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food came into force on October 10, 2022, replacing the previously applicable EU Regulation 2008/282. The new regulation applies to all plastic types and recycling technologies.

The old industrialised countries export their waste plastic packaging to third countries and emerging markets for disposal or recycling. However, these do not have appropriate infrastructure and technologies for sustainable recycling. As a result, considerable quantities of this waste ultimately end up in the sea via the major river systems of these countries.

With Active Packaging and Intelligent Packaging, the plastic packaging industry has two solutions at its disposal that help to reduce material usage and food losses.

Together with its members from companies, politics, associations and the media, Save Food [1] wants to drive innovation and create solutions to reduce food losses throughout the entire supply chain from field to consumer in dialogue with all stakeholders.

The aim of a recycling economy is not to dispose of the various materials as waste at the end of their useful life or service life, but to use them again as high-quality materials through intelligent processes. This saves energy and protects resources and the environment.

Today, more and more products are packed in plastic packaging of all kinds. But what happens after using the packaging. What quantities are generated in the EU28 and Germany and how are they recycled.

Packaging is one of the most important keys to protecting food from premature spoilage and to supplying people around the world with high-quality food - whether in industrialized, emerging or developing countries.

With the increasing demand for food, beverages and other consumer goods, the flood of packaging and thus packaging waste is rising.

Resource efficiency is of great importance for the packaging industry. But what is meant by this and how are they determined?

How can we succeed in creating a circular economy for plastics? What opportunities does the packaging industry have? The initiatives for recycling management in the plastics packaging industry offer numerous impulses for improving the reuse of packaging.

What activities are undertaken to reduce plastic waste? One approach is the recycling and reuse of plastics, which is being pursued by some institutions.

Non-returnable or returnable packaging: why and for what purposes it is suitable and what to consider in the life cycle assessment.

Seaweed is suitable as a raw material for biodegradable packaging. At interpack, the processing from seaweed to cup will be demonstrated live.

The number of one- and two-person households is increasing worldwide. Market and consumer-oriented packaging formats make a significant contribution to reducing the amount of food that spoils and is thrown away.

What is the CO2 footprint? The carbon footprint indicates the amount of greenhouse gases released by an activity, process or action. But products also have a CO2 footprint.

Worldwide, about one third of all food is lost every year along its value chain, i.e. from the harvest to the consumer. This corresponds to approximately 1.3 billion tons. Not only food is lost, but also the resources used for cultivation, harvesting, processing, transport and storage. Packaging has a key role to play in the fight against food losses and the conservation of resources.

The life cycle assessment takes into account all environmental impacts of products, services or processes during their entire life cycle. There are some principles and rules to be observed and there are also challenges.

Sustainable solutions and materials are in demand for packaging. However, there is no such thing as sustainable packaging, because the products to be packaged are far too different and so are the packaging requirements.

Packaging under a protective atmosphere keeps food hygienically perfect and durable for longer without preservatives or thermal preservation. This protects against premature spoilage and thus the loss of food.

The production and use of packaging, whether made of plastic or another material, causes CO2 emissions. Which packaging material is more environmentally friendly? To determine this, it is necessary to compare the functional units of the packaging of certain products.

Better material properties, reduced wall thicknesses, lower film thicknesses, optimized shaping and processing techniques have resulted in plastic packaging becoming lighter and lighter over the years, while maintaining or improving packaging performance and stability. This is referred to as downgauging or lightweighting.

Products placed on the market must not pose a risk to humans. To guarantee this, there are corresponding national and international regulations that must be applied and complied with.

Italy is one of the few countries in Europe to make environmental labeling of packaging mandatory for distributors not only in the B2C sector but also in the B2B sector, regardless of whether the distributor is an Italian or foreign company.

Finding your way through the legal jungle for packaging: Here you will find all relevant information on laws and regulations at European and national level.

The future trends of the meat processing machinery industry depend on various framework conditions such as laws, economic policy, but above all on consumer behavior.

The EU's omnibus package on sustainability is intended to protect small and medium-sized industrial companies from excessive reporting obligations. This goal must no longer be watered down in the European Parliament.

With the ‘Sustainability Talks’, the VDMA is organising a web series on current and relevant sustainability topics for the mechanical and plant engineering industry. You can find an overview of the topics and dates here.

In future, the Environment and Sustainability department will provide ten topic-specific newsletters for targeted information on environmental and sustainability topics.

The EU omnibus package is intended to significantly reduce the bureaucratic burden on companies. Now the package must no longer be torpedoed. Bureaucracy must not become an obstacle to innovation.

The CO2 border adjustment mechanism CBAM is being simplified and many small companies will be exempt. An important step - but only a temporary solution.

The VDMA regulatory cockpit provides you with a central, practical overview of current and upcoming regulations. It helps you identify relevant information at an early stage, evaluate it strategically, and derive concrete measures.

MES play a central role when it comes to intelligent processes for sustainable production. They are the technological basis for ecologically responsible production methods without losing sight of economic efficiency.

Good news from Brussels: the suspension of several reporting obligations gives companies the capacity to act in order to focus on important areas of transformation.

Have you already calculated your company's climate footprint and defined ambitious climate targets? But what specific measures can a company take to achieve these goals?

To ensure the competitiveness of the mechanical and plant engineering industry, the VDMA is calling for reliable economic framework conditions. A strong industry means a strong economy.

On 26 February, the European Commission published the omnibus proposal on sustainability. The EU Commission is thus responding to the concerns of the overburdened economy and strengthening competitiveness.

We have sat down and compiled an overview for you of the prizes and awards available, the structures and cost models behind them and how they are perceived and received by the public.

The transition to sustainability presents challenges for mechanical engineering – along with a flood of technical terms. Our **Glossary of Environmental and Sustainability Terms in Mechanical Engineering** sheds light on the complexities.

The QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. The session presented the possible applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in quality management.

The VDMA has addressed extensive demands to politicians. What do the parties think? Our overview shows the extent to which the mechanical and plant engineering industry is taken into account in the programs for the federal election on February 23, 2025.

With the Omnibus Regulation, Commission President von der Leyen wants to consolidate, reduce and simplify various ESG reporting obligations. The VDMA welcomes the initiative and is submitting specific proposals for improvement.

The mechanical and plant engineering sector is at the forefront of driving the sustainable transformation. To remain competitive, companies must be relieved of red tape, and ESG requirements must be implemented in a practical manner.

Focus on the circular economy: countries around the world are enacting regulations on packaging and waste in order to reduce environmental pollution. The overview "Regulations on packaging and packaging waste" shows current and planned measures. Download now!

The German government now also wants to relieve companies of CSRD reporting obligations. It would be an urgently needed step. Politicians must now do everything they can to convince the EU of this measure.

The European Deforestation Regulation is being postponed - an important measure to ease the burden on companies. Other EU regulations must now also be put to the test as part of the omnibus regulation.

The call for sector specific sustainability benchmarks has increased as mechanical engineering companies come under pressure from legislation and customers to report their sustainability impact.

Many mechanical engineering companies supply the technologies needed for a circular economy. This makes it all the more important that the EU and the future German government seriously pursue a circular economy policy.

Pressure from customers and the regulatory market is increasing. Therefore, mechanical engineering companies must inevitably reduce the ecological footprint of their products. There is one area where you can achieve the greatest impact!

The German Supply Chain Act places an undue burden on small and medium-sized industrial companies. The CDU/CSU is therefore quite rightly calling for it to be repealed in the Bundestag.

The Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products has direct and indirect consequences for mechanical and plant engineering. Companies need to have certain data ready today - and therefore definitely need to deal with the Digital Product Passport!

In December 2024, the EU bodies agree to postpone the start of implementation by 1 year.

The deforestation regulation forces us to act.

The German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) provides information on the possibility for companies to provide evidence of their efforts to obtain data on CBAM goods and the use of its discretionary powers in the assessment of CBAM reports

In the ESRS project group, members have exchanged views on questions relating to the reporting requirements under CSRD (prior to the Omnibus I revision). The VDMA is making the preliminary final status of the discussion available to its members as a Q&A.

With the new Ecodesign Regulation and the establishment of a digital product passport, the EU Commission has set an important milestone under the Green Deal. The mechanical engineering sector will already be affected by the new requirements in the short term.

Together with members and partners, the trade association celebrated its 25th anniversary in Würzburg. One thing became particularly clear: the trade association and its topics are playing an increasingly important role in the industry.

The VDMA publishes the first benchmark for industry-wide materiality in accordance with the European Sustainable Reporting Standard (ESRS) of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Together with member companies, the VDMA has developed training documents from October 2023 to spring 2024 that can be used to raise awareness of human rights risks in your own company and supply chain.

The strategic integration of sustainability reporting obligations in companies is becoming increasingly important, as the increasing transparency requirements will affect a large proportion of SMEs in the future.

QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. In the second session, the established format dealt with the topic of handling confidential documents and the role of quality management.

The European Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Regulation aims to define what environmentally sustainable economic activities are and thus create a standardized classification system within the EU.

QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. The established format will be continued in 2024. The first session dealt with the topic of sustainability and management systems.

Political guidelines are reflected in new customer requirements. This is forcing companies to address the ecological footprint of their products. Pragmatic solutions are needed.

The VDMA's guide to circular business models is now available for members. The aim of this guide is to provide an introduction to the topic of the circular economy.

Get active! Young teams from VDMA member companies can develop creative concepts for reducing emissions and, with a little luck, win the fourth VDMA "Carbon Busters 2025" award.

Joint offer from Germany Trade & Invest (gtai), the Federal Foreign Office (AA) and the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK)

The VDMA has published a questionnaire on the LkSG, which can be used to further specify potential risks in your own business area and in the supply chain.

This survey provides an overview of the status of the implementation of ESG issues in the machinery and plant engineering industry and what role they play in business relationships and what trends and further impacts are expected.

In the future, only safe, circular and sustainable products are to be allowed on the EU internal market. The central element for mechanical and plant engineering in this context is the revision and opening of the Ecodesign Directive and the establishment of a digital product passport.

On April 18, 2023, the German cabinet presented a draft law to increase energy efficiency and amend the Energy Services Act. An overview of the current status.

VDMA Packaging Machinery takes a look at alternatives to plastic and Styrofoam and where they are already being used.

Erleben Sie die Zukunft des Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus! Besuchen Sie den Gemeinschaftsstand in Halle 15 F28 auf der Hannover Messe und entdecken Sie, wie digitale Softwarelösungen die produzierende Industrie revolutionieren!

The Council of the EU defined in December 2022 its position on corporate sustainability due diligence. Although there are some positive elements, VDMA calls on the Council to revise its position.

Calculating the carbon footprint at the product level poses many challenges. In cooperation with various member companies, the VDMA is developing a "PCF calculation guideline" for the machinery and plant engineering sector.

Here you will find supporting documents to assist you in implementing the contents described in the ZVEI-VDMA Code of Conduct (compliance and sustainability topics) in your company.

The planned EU reporting obligations on sustainability are out of touch with reality. Among other things, they are supposed to cover the entire value chain of companies. For this, medium-sized companies lack the in-house-expertise. Moreover, there are not enough experts available.

Call for participation: EU consultation runs until August 8. Every vote counts. VDMA supports its members.

This year, the Innovation Award for Climate and Environment 2022 was presented to three partners of the VDMA sustainability initiative Blue Competence, among others. One of these three is Grundfos GmbH from Erkrath. The company received the award in the category "Process innovations for climate protection".

This year, the Innovation Award for Climate and Environment 2022 was presented to three partners of the VDMA sustainability initiative Blue Competence, among others. One of these three is Kurtz GmbH & Co KG from Kreuzwertheim. The company received the award in the "Environmentally friendly technologies" category.

Companies that want to modernize processes and invest in electricity and heat efficiency benefit from various - even lesser-known - funding opportunities at the federal and state levels.

With the cross-industry Code of Conduct, the VDMA aims to support companies in implementing compliance and sustainability requirements.

On 24 November 2021, the kick-off event of the new VDMA project will take place online.Climate change is one of the key global challenges facing industry and society. Companies contribute significantly to anthropogenic climate change directly through site-related emissions, but also indirectly through emissions associated with energy purchases, as well as those that occur in the upstream and downstream value chain. Securing long-term competitiveness and adapting to the tightening political framework conditions are becoming drivers for greenhouse gas emission reductions and the gradual adaptation of new business models for companies across industries and regardless of their size.

Germany passed a Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) back in 2021. At EU level, the Supply Chain Directive (CS3D), which was adopted in 2024, is currently being renegotiated as part of Omnibus I.

With the interactive PDF poster "Sustainability Overview", the VDMA aims to provide an overview of the now very complex topic of Sustainability with the corresponding legal requirements for initial, operational implementation.

EU Commission adopts second package on sustainable finance - Mechanical engineering as supplier of green technologies not sufficiently considered in taxonomy.

In the following article we explain the advantages of a strategic CSR management.

Our FAQ module provides detailed answers to the most important questions on how to strategically anchor sustainability in a company.

Description

Blue Competence is the sustainability initiative of the mechanical and plant engineering industry.

Essential aspects of sustainability

Concepts and measures

Description

Companies can be affected by climate change in different ways.

What do we mean by risks and what does a risk management system suitable for my company look like?

What is a Due Diligence process and how can I implement it in my company?

How can I correctly analyse, evaluate and prioritise the risks and impacts identified in the value chain analysis?

Which risks or impacts do I need to identify for my value chain analysis and which information sources can I use for this?

Your value chain is complex and your resources are scarce.

The supply chain diagram represents the stages of production as an ordered sequence of activities.

What is a value chain analysis?

Stakeholders should be involved in the risk assessment, especially of the company's impact on sustainability aspects (e.g. through consultation).

An environmental management system can be a valuable milestone towards sustainability management.

In order to develop a strategic CSR management approach, three phases are required.

The central instrument for the summary determination of materiality is the materiality matrix.

The external environment and internal company analysis can be combined in a so-called SWOT analysis.

With the help of the environment analysis, the external opportunities and risks in particular are determined.

With the help of the company analysis, the internal factors - in particular the strengths and weaknesses of the company - are first determined.

Most companies still find it comparatively easy to identify the relevant aspects of sustainability that can influence the course of business, the result or the situation of the company.

The DNK is based on the fundamental understanding of sustainability and the most important indicators of other frameworks (especially the GRI).

Principle 5: We act in a resource-efficient manner and are committed to climate protection

12 We communicate our sustainable actions transparently.

11. we maintain an active exchange with all parties involved.

10. We do what we promise!

9 We assume social responsibility in our regions.

8 Our company is a living space

Principle 7: We are committed to respecting human rights

Principle 4: Sustainable thinking and action is reflected in our processes and products

Guiding principle 3: Our technology and solutions promote sustainable development worldwide.

2nd guiding principle: With sustainable business models we create stable values and ensure entrepreneurial success

Sustainability is an essential component of our corporate strategy

Developing a sustainability strategy means finding the best way from the "as-is" situation to the realization of your company's strategic goals. It thus serves to determine the long-term behaviour of your company and relevant sub-areas in relation to their corporate environment in order to achieve the long-term goals.

Climate-neutral production is a challenge along the entire value chain and occupies many companies. For this reason, the VDMA has now published a practical guide for the mechanical and plant engineering sector.

The German government is launching a company survey ("monitoring") on the subject of human rights. The VDMA expects this to set the course for future guidelines. A participation of as many companies as possible is therefore essential!

In the working group Technology - Laundry and Dry Cleaning Machines, technical and environmental topics relating to the mechanical engineering sector are advanced in the textile care sector.

Since the beginning of 2021, importers of conflict minerals such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from risk areas into the EU have been subject to binding due diligence obligations.