Challenge Packaging Case Study

10 January 2024

Meet Challenge Packaging in East Sussex, UK. The corrugated solutions manufacturer has a £20 million turnover, with 90 staff and state-of-the-art machinery – plus a commitment to carbon neutrality with PAS 2060.

*Note: This case study uses URL links from the NQA UK Sustainability Hub throughout. If your business is based elsewhere in the world, please get in touch with NQA in your country to learn more about sustainability.*

An introduction to Challenge Packaging

Challenge Packaging is the largest independent manufacturer of corrugated solutions in the UK’s southeast region.

90% of Challenge Packaging’s sales are corrugated products; however, they are positioned as a ‘total packaging solutions’ provider to meet each client’s criteria.

The organisation’s facilities are across five acres in Golden Cross, in the heart of East Sussex. Since their formation in 1987, Challenge Packaging has become a £20-million enterprise employing 120 committed, loyal and highly trained staff.

Challenge Packaging’s blend of knowledge, state-of-the-art machinery and design facilities serves multiple industries. These include:

E-commerce
Medical and pharmaceutical
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
Electronics
Food and drink
Governing bodies

Read on to explore Challenge Packaging’s journey to PAS 2060 verification with Auditel and NQA.

Aligning business strategy with PAS 2060

Challenge Packaging’s commitment to the planet is visible in everything they do.

The organisation’s website homepage states, “With sustainability at our core, we’re committed to our pledge to be 100% sustainable by 2025 – discover our high-quality packaging materials in various shapes and sizes right here. Over 90% of our products are made from recyclable or biodegradable materials, from paper bubble wrap and void fill to paper tapes and more.”

This powerful message aligns with Challenge Packaging’s pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – a goal they recognised PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality) would play a vital role in.

In 2023, Challenge Packaging pursued PAS 2060 verification to support their net zero ambitions.

Choosing reputable verification partners

To give Challenge Packaging the best chance of success with PAS 2060, they recruited the help of a renowned consultancy, Auditel.

Auditel is a cost, procurement and carbon solutions network helping organisations like Challenge Packaging prove their commitment to the planet. They are also clients of NQA for ISO 14064-1 (Greenhouse Gas Inventory) and members of our UK Associate Partner Programme (APP) consultants’ network.

As for choosing NQA, Ian Hopping at Auditel shares that, “NQA came highly recommended from other Auditel colleagues who had used their services for PAS 2060 verification, so I was delighted when they offered a competitive quote compared to the others received. Amber Dixon was very helpful in finding a date for verification that fitted with my client’s desire to achieve PAS 2060 by the end of October 2023.”

Competitive prices and reliable communication are just some reasons clients choose NQA.

Preparing for PAS 2060 verification

According to Challenge Packaging, the main obstacle was identifying what data was required, where the data was housed and the sheer scale of data required.

Quoting Auditel, “Compiling the carbon footprint report for Challenge Packaging was complicated, especially for the scope 3 categories, as they use over 200 suppliers who deliver goods from all across the UK, Europe and Asia.”

With guidance from Auditel, Challenge Packaging used the ISO 14064-1 framework and GHG Protocol for a robust understanding of their carbon position.

Challenge Packaging’s Quality & Compliance Manager collated all required data before sharing it with Auditel to analyse, calculate and allocate to the specific scope.

Once the preparation was complete, it was time for the next step: PAS 2060 verification.

Successfully achieving PAS 2060 with NQA

The on-site PAS 2060 assessment was led by NQA Field Director Stephen Burt and assisted by Regional Assessor Claire Harling. Challenge Packaging praised the assessors for their knowledge and clear explanation of the required information.

According to Auditel, “The plan for the audit was shared in good time, and Stephen was very helpful in answering our questions. Communication prior to the audit was clear, allowing [Auditel and Challenge Packaging] to make sure we were prepared. The result was that there weren’t any nasty surprises on the day, and everything ran very smoothly. Post-verification was completed in a timely manner and overall, both my client and I were very satisfied with NQA.”

The result? An accurate carbon footprint baseline and a strong carbon reduction plan.

Final thoughts from NQA

NQA thanks Challenge Packaging for sharing their journey to PAS 2060 verification.

With the growing global emphasis on environmental sustainability, now is the ideal time for organisations in the packaging space to back up their claims with internationally respected standards such as PAS 2060.

Want to learn about sustainability standards like PAS 2060? Visit the NQA UK Sustainability Hub.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your environmental journey, speak to an expert today.

Download a PDF version of Challenge Packaging's case study here.