Sustainable Packaging Solutions for ESG & CSRD Compliance
As sustainability expectations rise, customers are asking more of their packaging and logistics partners. Carbon reporting, product-level carbon footprint data, and regulatory readiness are no longer “nice to have”; they are becoming essential inputs into purchasing decisions and supply chain strategy.
At TransPak, sustainability is being built into operations, systems, and decision-making, not just layered on after the fact. Our approach to sustainable packaging solutions connects engineering, logistics, and data to deliver measurable outcomes across global supply chains.
In this Q+A, TransPak’s ESG team shares how we help customers measure and reduce the carbon impact of packaging solutions, support Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting requirements, and why building these capabilities in-house matters.
Q: Customers still expect packaging to perform, but how has the definition of “good packaging” shifted?
Customers still need packaging to meet high performance standards, but now evaluate performance alongside sustainability.
Consumers and the broader market are showing a clear preference for sustainable companies and sustainable goods. While consumer and market demands shift, companies are realizing a large portion of their environmental and social impact is within their supply chains, and they can create real environmental and social impact by setting clear expectations for their suppliers to measure and share sustainability-related metrics. That shift makes it the supplier’s responsibility to build the capabilities, skills, and tools needed to meet those expectations.
Performance still matters. The difference today is that customers expect sustainable packaging solutions that deliver both operational reliability and measurable environmental impact reduction.
Q: Why did TransPak choose to build carbon measurement capabilities in-house instead of relying on off-the-shelf tools?
TransPak is developing ESG capabilities internally within our operations and sustainability functions. Our approach starts from the view that data is the foundation of sustainability performance. Sustainability introduces a new set of metrics, including scope 3 emissions visibility, that require internal systems to collect, organize, use, and report on sustainability data. Getting that foundation right is the first step.
From there, we build models and calculators that use that data in practical ways. Once the systems are in place, sustainability data can be filtered and analyzed by customer, product, material, source, program, or time period, depending on the analytics.
A clear example of this approach is how we have customized our carbon calculation capabilities around TransPak’s specific operations. As a global crating, packaging, and logistics company operating across complex supply chains, industries, and logistics routes, we need systems that reflect that complexity, which off-the-shelf tools often do not.
For example, a single reuse program can involve multiple sites, regions, and countries, different SKUs, refurbishment centers, manufacturing locations, material types, and transport modes. Across customers, we may be producing hundreds or thousands of custom-engineered packaging solutions and crates, so we need a tool that is flexible and can scale.
Our internal systems and carbon calculator are built to capture that level of detail, allowing us to generate carbon data that is accurate, adaptable, and useful for both internal decision-making and customer reporting.
Q: Why is product-level carbon data becoming so essential for customers right now?
Just about every leading company in the world is measuring the environmental footprint of the products they purchase. In 2023, a record of 93 percent of Russell 1000 companies published sustainability reports, showing how mainstream this has become.
In carbon accounting, companies measure two things. First, their own operational emissions and second, the emissions from their supply chain. For most companies, 80 to 90 percent of supply chain emissions come from purchased goods and services. As a result, suppliers are increasingly expected to measure and share the carbon footprint of their products.
The point of calculating product-level carbon data is to turn sustainability from an estimate into something measurable and actionable. Without product-level data, customers are forced to rely on spend-based averages or broad assumptions that do not reflect how products are actually made, used, or transported.
When suppliers can provide real product-level data, customers can understand where emissions are coming from, compare options, and make informed decisions. They can track progress over time and identify where changes in materials, design, or logistics can reduce impact. Increasingly, customers are looking for suppliers who not only track this information but actively use it to reduce the carbon intensity of their products, and TransPak wants to support that goal.
Turning Carbon Data into Action
Customer expectations around ESG and sustainability are rising rapidly. TransPak is investing in the capabilities and resources needed not just to keep pace, but to lead.
By building ESG and carbon measurement capabilities in-house, TransPak provides customers with trusted product-level carbon data, CSRD reporting requirements, regulatory readiness, and supply chain insights. These capabilities support informed decision-making across packaging design, logistics strategy, and long-term sustainability planning.
The result is a fully integrated ESG approach that embeds sustainability into operations and delivers measurable, consistent outcomes across global packaging and logistics programs.
Looking to strengthen your ESG and CSRD reporting strategy? Contact our team to start the conversation.
