4evergreen Alliance appoints 2 European executives to leadership posts

The Brussels-based 4evergreen Alliance has appointed a new chair and co-chair to lead the alliance.

The 4evergreen Alliance steering group’s new chair is Sarah Price, director of sustainability at Belgium-based paper producer Sappi. The group’s new co-chair is Andreas Walser, managing director at Hamburger Recycling, which is part of Austria-based paperboard producer the Prinzhorn Group.

4evergreen is Europe’s value chain alliance of over 110 members building a toolbox to propel fiber-based packaging towards a 90 percent recycling rate by 2030.

"[Price and Walser will] help drive the alliance’s strategy towards perfecting fiber-based packaging circularity from the design and manufacture phase to the collection, sorting and recycling of packaging materials," 4evergreen says.

The group's agenda in upcoming years will include a focus on “continuing to provide a unique forum where all value chain stakeholders—from forest owners to producers, designers, brand owners and recyclers—can share good practices and innovate together to address circularity challenges in the best way possible.”

Price has been actively involved in 4evergreen’s mission since the early days of the alliance and has been leading the strategic work of the alliance in 2023 as co-chair, 4evergreen says.

The alliance says she was unanimously supported to take over the reins from Hans Wortman, who will retire following what 4evergreen calls “an illustrious three-decade career in fiber-based packaging.” Wortman most recently has served in executive roles with Germany-based tissue producer WEPA.

Walser brings with him unique and valuable experience of innovations in recycling and expressing that all fiber-based packaging, when properly collected and sorted, can be recycled, 4evergreen says.

“After an exciting year as co-chair, it is a great honor to continue the adventure with the 4evergreen alliance as chair," Price says. "We have made great progress in finalizing our toolbox for fiber packaging circularity. In 2024, we want to ensure that we continue to perfect these tools and make them known and available to as many packaging stakeholders as possible.”

“I am eager to start as co-chair of the 4evergreen alliance," Walser adds. "These will be pivotal years for the European fiber packaging sector, with major new European policy making its way into national law. With our value chain approach, the 4evergreen alliance can ensure that the fiber-based industry remains the sustainable choice as these changes come into effect.”

In addition to electing its new chair and co-chair, 4evergreen also has elected a new Steering Group for 2024. The new and reelected members of this group and their designations within the industry include:

• Technology Providers segment: Thierry Robert of Switzerland-based BOBST; 
• Pulp Producers, Paper & Board Manufacturers and Recyclers segment: John Melia of United Kingdom-based DS Smith; Maija Aho of Finland-based Stora Enso; Markku Leskelä of the Finalnd-based Metsä Group; Marc Van der Velden of Ireland-based Smurfit Kappa; and Natasha Chorlton of Finland-based Ahlstrom;
• Brand owners & Retailers segment: Jürgen Dornheim of United States-based Procter & Gamble; David Guerin of France-based L’Oréal; Rob Hoitink of Switzerland-based Nestlé; and Anthony Johnson of London-based Unilever;
• Non-fibre Material Suppliers segment: Bernhard Kainz of U.S.-based Dow; Daniel Drochner of Germany-based Siegwerk; and Thomas Schiele of Germany-based BASF; and the
• Converters & Packaging Manufacturers segment: Andreas Helbig of Italy-based SEDA; Heike Schiffler of Sweden-based Tetra Pak; and Mike Turner of U.S.-based Graphic Packaging International.

4evergreen also says that during its recent annual members’ meeting in Brussels, the alliance’s members agreed to extend the lifetime of the alliance until the end of 2026.