Page 14 - PET worldwide issue 05/2022
P. 14
International Pet Conference Strong women
At this year’s International Pet Conference in Bologna, it was
primarily female players in the sector who set the tone. Is this
the new normal in the pet supplies market?
The presenters in Bologna got ceeded in getting their message sides. In her presentation and in
down to business right from the across, clearly demonstrated the subsequent podium discus-
outset and focused on the issues that the women closely involved sion she called repeatedly on the
at hand. Each speaker had 20 min- in these start-ups are making an sector to look at sustainability as
utes for their presentation, with impact and bringing a breath of an important shared mission of-
questions to follow from moderator fresh air to the pet sector. Who fering a host of future opportu-
Ralf Majer-Abele and the audience. was surprised that the female nities. Above all, the PSC’s front
The emphasis was on discussion triumvirate of German award woman urged a faster transition
and interaction – there was no time nominee Strayz took the hearts by the pet food industry to alter-
for showboating or embellishment. of most conference attendees by native sources of protein and a
Experienced speakers like Heiko storm with their emotional and au- reduction in the ecological foot-
Bücker (Fressnapf) and Hubert thentic presentation? Women the print by the use of less pack-
Wieser (Nestlé Purina) started the world over responded to the Inter- aging and packaging that was
ball rolling by explaining the highly national Pet Conference this year, more recyclable.
specific solutions adopted by also when it came to naming the
their companies to overcome the best newcomer company. A passion for plastic
many challenges currently facing No one at the conference provided
them. Both paved the way for an In the afternoon session, a better example of how even
extremely interesting industry event Caitlyn Dudas, executive direc- small and medium-sized firms can
by openly addressing problems in- tor of the Pet Sustainability Coa- pioneer sustainable action than
stead of playing them down. lition (PSC), and Chantal Saelen, Belgian CEO Chantal Saelen. Her
CEO of the Belgian pet accessory best-practice presentation bore
Fresh ideas manufacturer Moderna, were es- the provocative title “Plastic is fan-
It wasn’t long before the female pecially instrumental in cranking tastic: how Moderna incorporated
power that was to prove so char- up the atmosphere. The PSC is a sustainability into its DNA”. Saelen
acteristic of this conference was body that is highly influential in considers high-grade plastic to
unleashed for the first time. The the USA in particular and Dudas be long-lasting, durable, flex-
pitches of the five nominated new- is an enthusiastic advocate of ible and relatively cheap – and
comer companies, which all suc- greater sustainability in the pet thus highly suitable for transport
sector, as became evident in the boxes, cat litter containers, bowls,
first minutes of her presentation. beds and other pet accessories.
An articulate speaker, the Amer- To turn plastic into a sustainable
ican put forward a comprehen- material also, Saelen always re-
sive package of measures with garded it as her main mission to
which her organisation is sup- increase the recyclable propor-
porting the pet sector in becom- tion of her plastic goods step by
ing more sustainable with initia- step. She has succeeded in this,
tives, educational approaches, as the impressive quota of up
certification and much more be-
14 PET worldwide 5|2022
