As environmental concerns continue to reshape consumer behaviour and corporate
strategy globally, sustainable packaging has emerged as a critical solution to the
growing waste and pollution crisis.

In response, the World Sustainability Organization (WSO) Friend of the Earth (FoE) has officially introduced its Friend of the Earth Sustainable Packaging Certification to Ghana, marking a significant step toward reducing plastic pollution and promoting responsible production across the country.

Traditional packaging, particularly single-use plastics, accounts for approximately 36
per cent of all plastics produced worldwide, yet only a small proportion is effectively recycled.

Alarmingly, an estimated 91 per cent of all plastic ever produced has never
been recycled, underscoring the urgent need for verified and systemic solutions.

The Friend of the Earth Sustainable Packaging Certification is an internationally
recognised, independent certification that verifies environmentally responsible and


socially accountable packaging practices.

It applies to both food packaging, including agriculture and seafood, and non-food packaging, and requires rigorous third-party audits to ensure full compliance. Under the standard, packaging must be made from a minimum of 95 per cent recycled or reused materials or from raw materials certified as sustainably sourced, while also being designed to be 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or recoverable.

The certification standard is based on a holistic set of essential and important criteria
verified through annual audits.

These include the use of sustainable raw materials, resource minimisation through reduced material use and lower-impact alternatives, effective environmental management systems such as ISO 14001 or equivalent internal procedures, and strict compliance with emissions and waste legislation.

Certified packaging must be fully recoverable, and where plastic packaging lacks a verifiable
recovery system, companies are required to purchase Plastic Offsets.

The standard also incorporates social accountability audits to ensure compliance with international labour regulations covering child labour, minimum wages, healthcare, and worker safety.

Speaking on the Sustainable packaging certification, the Founder and Director of the
World Sustainability Organization, (FoE and FoS) Paolo Bray had this to say.

“The introduction of the Friend of the Earth certification in Ghana is a decisive step
toward a circular economy where packaging is treated as a resource, not waste. We
are providing local biological and manufacturing sectors with a verified pathway to
reduce plastic pollution and meet global sustainability standards with transparency.”

The rollout of the certification in Ghana and the process of getting companies certified
is being facilitated locally by the Fort Group, which is working with businesses across
sectors to align their packaging practices with international sustainability standards.

Through this initiative, Ghanaian companies are expected to strengthen their
environmental credentials, meet rising consumer and regulatory expectations, and gain
improved access to global markets that increasingly prioritise verified sustainability
compliance.

By adopting the Friend of the Earth Sustainable Packaging Certification, businesses are
not only validating their environmental and social commitments but also joining a
global movement for conservation.

The certification supports environmental projects led by the World Sustainability Foundation worldwide, while offering consumers a trusted and transparent way to support responsible brands as Ghana advances toward a more circular and sustainable packaging economy.