The Responsible Packaging Project began in 2006 as part of Whole Foods Market Green Mission’s Zero Waste Initiative. Tom Wright, Sustainable Bizness Practices  working in collaboration with  Michael Besancon, Whole Foods Market launched a series of “Responsible Packaging  Forums” at the Natural Product Expo’s to engage the organic and natural products industry in an open  public dialogue about how to move towards a zero-waste future.

The idea behind the Forums was simple:

• provide an educational format presenting the best ecological science (systems thinking, cradle-to-cradle, the natural step, etc)
• examine current packaging materials and systems; investigate claims, seek transparency 
• provide a platform for collaboration & networking to align on common definitions of responsible packaging
• drive design innovation and entrepreneurship in the supply chain
• collaborate on consumer education & infrastructure

Over 4 years and 10 Responsible Packaging Forum’s were held, hundreds of people attended from across the organic and natural trade including brand managers,  packaging designers, operations directors, retail representatives, academics, NGO’s and more.

Over time the collaboration grew as dozens of brands stepped in to help sponsor the free public events (thanks to our project partners).

In 2007, the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association  (FTSLA) become involved a joint partner on the project, helping to organize content, speakers, and facilitate collaboration.

In 2010, the FTSLA assumed leadership of the project, as a NGO that will facilitate the drafting of Responsible Packaging Guidelines for the Organic Industry as a trade-wide collaborative venture.  FTSLA will also administer the Responsible Packaging Awards to be given on a bi-annual basis to companies who are raising the bar in the industry.