Sabert brings back ex sustainability lead as Chief Sustainability and Strategy Officer

Sabert Corporation is the latest packaging company to name a Chief Sustainability Officer, bringing back Richa Desai for the role.

New Jersey-headquartered Sabert, which manufactures food packaging solutions, has appointed Desai as Chief Sustainability and Strategy Officer, reporting directly to CEO Paul McCann.

She previously worked at the firm from 2019 to 2021 as sustainability director. As such, she led the development of its initial sustainability framework and spearheaded the production of its first annual sustainability report. 

Since 2021, she has been leading sustainability at Graham Packaging as VP of Sustainability.

Sabert climate goals and product sustainability

In her new role at Sabert, Desai will lead the company's sustainability efforts and help to shape and articulate its strategic direction.

"We are thrilled to welcome Richa back to the Sabert family," said Paul McCann, CEO of Sabert Corporation. "Her vast experience, passion for sustainability, and forward-thinking approach perfectly complement our commitment to being our customers' trusted sustainable food packaging solutions provider. Richa's leadership will be crucial to driving innovation that aligns with the company's purpose of reinventing food packaging to nourish and protect our world.”

The company has set a goal for 80% of its sales to come from “sustainable products” that are both made with at least 25% recycled and/or biobased content and 100% recyclable by 2025. As of 2023, that proportion stood at 72%.

However, 62% of the paper and pulp and 87% of the plastic the company sourced last years still came from virgin sources.

Packaging firms prepare themselves for sustainability transition

Sabert is the latest of three packaging companies to hire a Chief Sustainability Officer in recent weeks: yesterday, NYSE-listed Amcor named David Clark as its first CSO in a move to “elevate” the sustainability function, while a couple of weeks ago, MM Group named Bernard Heneis as its new Head of Group Sustainability.