Meet Inge and Kristine
“In Elopak you’re more than just a number. Our lean structure cultivates an entrepreneurial and flexible work culture.”
A sustainable partnership: bringing together different competences to solve tomorrow’s challenges.
Meet Inge Eggermont and Kristine M. Berg, two of our remarkable colleagues from Elopak’s sustainability team. Inge has been with Elopak for over 35 years, and Kristine joined us recently.
Together, they bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our sustainability efforts, as well as different perspectives and competences.
Kristine and Inge work on various recycling projects and circularity initiatives that aim to reduce our environmental impact and enhance our social responsibility. For example, they collaborate on developing and implementing our sustainability strategy, reporting, and communicating our sustainability performance, and engaging with our stakeholders on sustainability issues and opportunities. By combining their strengths and insights, they help us create value for our company, our customers, and our planet.
We talked to them about our company’s culture, Kristine’s first impressions and ambitions, and Inge’s reflections on how Elopak has developed over three decades.
Working from our converting plant in Terneuzen, Netherlands, Inge embarked on her Elopak journey as a management assistant in October 1988. She currently serves as Specialist Manager Sustainability.
Inge has held many roles at Elopak, including marketing, sales, communications, and public affairs, developing a deep and unique understanding of our company and operations. In 2002, she took on a dual role, working two days a week for Elopak and three days as Managing Director of HEDRA, the Dutch national association for beverage cartons and the environment. In her HEDRA role she is responsible for policy and advocacy regarding packaging waste legislation and positioning beverage cartons as sustainable packaging, made from renewable raw materials, that is easily recyclable and has a low carbon footprint.
In 2021 Inge took over a position in the Board of Directors of EXTR:ACT, the European platform to improve and increase the recycling of beverage cartons and similar fiber-based multi-material packaging in Europe. Per 1 September 2022 she was appointed President of EXTR:ACT.
Kristine just started at Elopak. She is our new Recycling Manager and works out of our headquarters at Skøyen in Norway. With six years’ experience from TOMRA and a background in Political Science, Foreign Policy, and Industrial Ecology, Kristine was attracted to Elopak by its commitment to sustainability.
In her first few months at Elopak, Kristine aims to familiarize herself with the organization and its people. She adds: “From previous experience, I think the most important thing I can do is to get to know people and the organization. Spending some time to get comfortable with how we are set up and how we work, and to use the opportunity of being new to learn as much as I can about our products and processes with an outsider perspective.”
Inge shares: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned during my time here is to never give up if you want to accomplish something. Invest in people, you need them, and they need you.” For those starting their career at Elopak, Inge advises them to learn as much as they can about the company.”
Kristine says: “I am maybe a little bit surprised with how lean an organization we are, but that also says something about how much knowledge and capacity people have! The entrepreneurial and flexible work culture is something that suits me well. So far, everyone has been generous with their time and been very welcoming.”
Reflecting on our culture, Inge says: “One thing that has remained consistent over the years is that you are not just a number at Elopak; you are a person that is known in the organization. This culture of recognition and respect is one of the reasons I’ve stayed with the company for so long.”
Inge adds: “In my role, I work closely with various stakeholders to implement sustainability initiatives at the company. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of our work on the environment.”
Kristine adds: “As Recycling Manager in the Sustainability team, I hope to be a sort of bridge between what’s happening in the world around us on recycling of beverage cartons and our colleagues who work with product development and innovation. The opportunity to contribute to the sustainability of our products is what motivates me every day.”
Reflecting on her journey at Elopak, Inge says: “Over the past 35 years, Elopak has demonstrated its adaptability by evolving in response to market developments and customer needs. We have always been driven by a commitment to keeping customers at the heart of our operations, attentively listening to their needs, and aligning with their strategies. A significant part of this evolution has been the company’s transformation into a sustainability-driven entity. Today, Elopak is FSC certified and sells easily recyclable cartons made from renewable raw materials. It stands as a carbon-neutral company offering carbon-neutral cartons. Elopak has signed up for the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), is a member of the UN Global Compact, received a platinum EcoVadis rating in 2021 and a gold one in 2023 and is a Net-Zero company. All of this reflects our commitment to sustainability. “
