DS Smith Drives Transition to a Low Carbon, Circular Economy

The company’s partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as well as its use of Circular Design Metrics were demonstrated.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): DS Smith has taken action to usher transition to a low carbon, circular economy by sponsoring the University of Exeter’s 2023 MBA CE Challenge. The week-long event inspired enterprising students towards a new way of thinking about sustainable packaging.

The students were presented with a challenge to create a reusable packaging system for e-commerce and white goods. The experts from the company provided the students with both knowledge and guidance, thus helping them to deepen their understanding of our industry's dynamics and challenges. The company’s partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as well as its use of Circular Design Metrics were demonstrated.

The winning design exhibited the benefits of driving e-commerce packaging reuse with special focus on customer orders that are likely to face return.

Hugh McCann, Senior Circular Growth Manager, DS Smith noted that the winning team’s solution has influenced its thinking on reusable e-commerce packaging. The event gave the students, valuable knowledge and tools to drive the circular economy in their studies and future careers, he hoped. Furthermore, he thanked all the students for their active participation.

The event provided the students an excellent introduction to the concept of circular economy.