As sustainability becomes an ever-present item on board meeting agendas, we notice the emergence of many new eco-friendly security solution developments, including sustainable closure seals that provide tamper evidence.

The article explores 'pay-as-you-throw' waste tax, a new Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) charging scheme and the authentication possibilities supporting the recyclability efforts. Under the scheme, Hong Kong residents must buy designated rubbish bags to dispose of their domestic, commercial and industrial waste.

Digital watermarking specialist Digimarc Corporation has announced that France will be the first country to implement Digimarc Recycle on a nationwide basis, for the sorting and recycling of plastic waste.

Smart packaging is a term that means different things to different communities, and this article aims to take a wider look at trends in smart packaging and consider some of the potential implications for authentication and brand protection.

In March 2022’s edition of Authentication & Brand News™, a technical feature looked at how digital watermark specialist Digimarc was working on invisible watermarks that could increase plastic recycling. The technology from Digimarc is amongst a basket of innovations that sit at the overlap between authentication and sustainability – in this case giving plastic packaging a ‘voice’.

The FINAT Sustainability Award has been held annually since 2014 to honour member initiatives that address environmental and social aspects of sustainability.

Like all progressive companies operating in the authentication and brand protection sectors, OpSec Security is committed to sustainability in its processes and products – as its new product line OpSec® Eco demonstrates.

A growing theme within the pages of Authentication & Brand News™ is the trend for technology providers of brand protection and authentication services to expand the usefulness of their offerings to include traceability of raw and recycled materials.

The circular economy presents a $4.5 trillion business opportunity for companies that concentrate on rethinking products and services using principles based on durability, renewability, reuse, repair, replacement, upgrades, refurbishment, and reduced material use.

You may have noticed that, in the last few issues since the launch of the newly-branded Authentication & Brand News™, there has been something of an emphasis on sustainability. For companies in our sector (indeed, companies in any sector), sustainability, particularly in the environmental sense, is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a ‘must have’.