Key Takeaways from NYC Climate Week, SPC Advance & How2Recycle Summit

The Pregis sustainability team recently attended NYC Climate Week, SPC Advance and the How2Recycle^® Summit. One theme consistently emerged across conversations: sustainability is entering a more pragmatic phase as complexity increases.

Organizations are balancing innovation and AI advancements with real-world implementation challenges, evolving Scope 3 requirements and increasing pressure to translate analysis into measurable results. While expectations continue to rise, companies are looking for practical pathways to drive progress today.

Practical Pathways to Drive Progress

1. AI Dominated the Sustainability Conversation

AI is rapidly becoming a critical tool for sustainability teams, helping automate data collection, improve emissions analysis and identify optimization opportunities. The discussion has shifted from whether organizations should use AI to how they can use it effectively and responsibly.

One concept gaining traction is "right-sizing AI": using fit-for-purpose tools, consolidated datasets and strong governance frameworks to generate meaningful insights. AI can accelerate decision-making, but data quality and human expertise remain essential.

This idea closely mirrors how we approach packaging optimization through Pregis IQ®. Just as packaging should be right-sized for the application, AI solutions must be right-sized for the business challenge.

Action: Pregis IQ^® combines packaging intelligence, sustainability expertise and actionable insights to help organizations reduce waste, improve efficiency and achieve sustainability goals with confidence.

2. Scope 3 Remains One of the Industry's Biggest Challenges

Harvard office for sustainability defines Scope 3 emissions as indirect value chain emissions across 15 categories of upstream and downstream activities.

Discussions throughout the events reinforced that Scope 3 is not simply a reporting challenge. Supplier engagement, access to primary data, evolving standards and changing categorization methodologies continue to create significant complexity.

Organizations are recognizing that progress requires collaboration rather than perfection. Building stronger supplier relationships and continuously improving data quality are becoming key success factors.

Action: Material reduction, recyclability and packaging optimization strategies can help companies reduce environmental impacts while generating measurable improvements across their value chains.

3. Expanding PCR Utilization Is Essential for Circularity

Continued growth in post-consumer recycled (PCR) content usage remains critical to advancing circular economy goals. Creating sustained demand for recycled materials helps strengthen collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure while keeping valuable resources in circulation.

The message was clear: recycling systems only work when there is both supply and demand. Increased PCR adoption helps create the economic incentives needed to support and scale these systems.

Action: Incorporating PCR content into packaging can help support circular material flows while advancing sustainability objectives without compromising performance requirements.

4. Legislative Uncertainty Is Slowing Decision-Making

Regulatory developments continue to evolve across regions, creating uncertainty around packaging requirements, reporting obligations and compliance expectations. As a result, many organizations are delaying investment and packaging decisions while awaiting additional clarity.

Stakeholders are being encouraged to lobby and work with legislators when possible to align legislation with industry knowledge and data more closely

The main uncertainty is that these laws are still being refined through litigation, with requirements and implementation dates continuing to shift. As a result, companies are unsure what the final regulations will look like, when they will take effect, and exactly which products or materials will be covered. Because of the litigation in court, stakeholders are being encouraged to lobby and work with legislators when possible to align legislation with industry knowledge and data more closely.

At the same time, organizations recognize that standards, methodologies and carbon accounting practices will continue to evolve. Waiting for perfect information is rarely a viable strategy. Instead, companies are focusing on making informed decisions with the best available data while continuously improving over time.

Action: How much time and money is your organization spending on analysis versus driving measurable impact? Pregis IQ can help turn data into action and identify opportunities to do more with less.

Industry Collaboration Matters

Collaboration remains one of the most powerful drivers of sustainability progress. Let's continue these conversations at PACK EXPO International 2026, October 18-21 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Visit the Pregis Expert Bar to discuss your packaging strategy, evaluate sustainability opportunities and explore practical solutions that deliver measurable business and environmental results.

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