Who We Are
GreenBlue’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a regenerative, just, and sustainable materials economy.
Where We’re Headed
GreenBlue envisions a world where the materials economy transitions from sustainable to regenerative while meeting the social, environmental, and economic needs of all people.
How We’ll Get There
Through our projects and their members, GreenBlue aims to be a source of truth that compels the packaging value chain to build environmentally regenerative, socially responsible systems.
Our History
In 2002, William McDonough and Michael Braungart founded GreenBlue with support from seven companies aiming to improve environmental outcomes through a circular economy. At the time, the sustainability landscape in the U.S. was fraught. American packaging initiatives lagged severely behind Europe, the U.S. EPA had been underfunded, and there was significant tension between nonprofits and businesses.
To bridge these industries no matter their politics or their persuasions, GreenBlue used data and science to cut through the noise and share the unassailable, introducing Life Cycle Assessments and material health assessments into the value supply chain.
In 2004, GreenBlue launched its first project, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), which quickly grew to 20 member companies and established foundational resources like the Definition of Sustainable Packaging. This led to the development of How2Recycle, which has since become the most recognizable packaging disposal label across the U.S. and Canada.
Today, GreenBlue encompasses seven projects, with SPC and How2Recycle comprising hundreds of members, from startups to global corporations. GreenBlue lives up to our founding belief that true progress in environmental sustainability demands scalable solutions — solutions that require people from all sides of the packaging supply chain to have a seat at the table.
