2008 CMI Annual and Can Shipments Report - Can Central

Sustainability
Sustainability continued to gain momentum in 2008. Retailers
put pressure on suppliers with regard to lifecycle inventory
data requirements and in-store carbon labeling of products
is underway in Europe. Several important brand owners
have sought third-party certification of the carbon footprints
of their products and many stepped-up initiatives toward
more environmentally-friendly goods and services. The buzz
surrounding the upcoming United Nations Climate Change
Conference and a revised global climate change system is evergrowing,
and the U.S. Congress and the new Administration
are keen to pass a nationwide cap-and-trade program in the
States. CMI remains confident that cans will perform well
against sustainability initiatives and we continue to spread the
word about the can’s exemplary sustainable business model
which satisfies all pillars of the triple bottom line: people;
planet and profit.
Ambassador Program
CMI’s Executive Committee agreed in 2008 to move
forward with a unified message for all cans—Cans: Infinitely
Recyclable. CMI has applied for registration of the mark
with the U.S. Patent & Trade Office and encourages member
companies and brand owners to use it to promote the can’s
sustainability position and message.
CMI’s Sustainability Task Force approved a Sustainability
Ambassador Program to unify messaging for promotional
efforts and cascade can sustainability information and tools
throughout CMI member companies. Materials include: an
adaptable PowerPoint presentation; a leave-behind brochure;
can sustainability fact sheets and an extranet site from which
to download printable materials and additional information.
In October 2008, Greg Brooke of Rexam shared the
PowerPoint presentation and CMI’s sustainability messaging
at InterBev in Las Vegas, Nevada, of which CMI was a title
sponsor. The title sponsorship provided important positioning
for CMI’s logo and message concerning can benefits, and
8
Can Manufacturers Institute // 2008 Annual Report & Can Shipments Report