The How2Recycle label program has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years, and the impacts from the program’s recyclability labeling decisions go far. Over one third of prominent global consumer packaged goods companies and retailers in North America count on the How2Recycle program for impartial recyclability assessments, directly feeding into their broader sustainability strategies. How2Recycle is thrilled to announce the new How2Recycle Advisory Committee to support the continued objectivity, transparency, and trust of the How2Recycle label as the program continues to expand its positive impact.
The purpose of the Advisory Committee is for How2Recycle to engage a group of independent academics and attorneys from a variety of subject matter backgrounds with certain aspects of the program’s decision making process. The intended outcome of such engagement is for How2Recycle to strengthen its existing confidence, gain fresh perspectives in specific challenge areas, and to affirm to members and the general public that the program’s underlying processes are rigorous, impartial, and credible in the eyes of consumers and relevant legal frameworks. GreenBlue desires feedback from the committee to be direct, candid, and science- and/or data-based in nature.
The Advisory Committee members were selected by GreenBlue based on their unique backgrounds, impartiality and complementariness to one another, and will serve one year terms.
How2Recycle looks forward to learning from these diverse individuals and seeing challenges and opportunities in a new light based on their valuable and distinct perspectives. How2Recycle will share with members in writing the topics discussed in Advisory Committee meetings as well as any recommendations provided to the program. The purpose and goals of the Advisory Committee may evolve over time to reflect changing needs of the How2Recycle program.
Meet the How2Recycle Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee consists of four academics and one attorney representing prestigious organizations and diverse subject matter areas from across North America.
Magali Delmas, Professor of Management, UCLA School of Business & Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Magali Delmas is the director of the UCLA Center for Corporate Environmental Performance. She was the President of the Alliance for Research in Corporate Sustainability (ARCS), an organization that serves as a vehicle for advancing rigorous academic research on corporate sustainability issues. She has written more than 90 articles, book chapters and case studies on business and the natural environment, including the top-cited article in Google Scholar for greenwashing. She is also engaged in refining current methodologies to measure and communicate firm’s and products’ environmental performance.
- Ph.D. Strategic Management, HEC Paris
- M.A. Political Science, University of Paris
Albert Kao, Complexity Postdoctoral Fellow, Omidyar Fellow, Baird Scholar, Santa Fe Institute
The Santa Fe Institute is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of the fundamental principles of complex adaptive systems. Using a range of experimental and theoretical tools, Albert Kao studies the mechanisms and adaptiveness of collective behavior across biological systems, including slime molds, fish schools, ant colonies, and human groups. He is particularly interested in how decisions are made amidst complexity and limited resources. Prior to SFI, Albert spent three years at Harvard University as a James S. McDonnell postdoctoral fellow.
- Ph.D., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University
- A.B., Physics, Harvard College
Matthew Realff, Professor and David Wang Sr. Fellow, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech
Matthew Realff’s broad research interests are in the areas of process design, simulation, scheduling, and control. Specific interests include the design and operation of processes that minimize waste production by recovery of useful products from waste streams, and the simultaneous scheduling and control of batch processes. His overall research goal is to combine fundamental chemical engineering science with an understanding of the methods of design. Matthew is a board member of GreenBlue (the parent nonprofit housing How2Recycle).
- Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- B.Eng. Imperial College, London
Melissa Tehrani, Partner, Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG is an international law firm that is among the largest and most respected in Canada. Melissa Tehrani is a partner in Gowling WLG's Advertising and Product Regulatory Group – the largest, most awarded and recommended advertising and marketing law practice of its kind in Canada. Practicing in the area of advertising, marketing and regulatory compliance, her practice covers a range of commercial issues with particular emphasis on packaging and labelling, e-commerce law, consumer protection law, influencer marketing, consumer-oriented financial products and agreements, class actions, social media legal issues, automotive advertising, French language compliance and privacy law. Melissa is a contributing author of many works including the leading Canadian textbook, “Advertising and Marketing Law in Canada” (LexisNexis Canada) and the Canadian chapter of “International Advertising Law” (Wolters Kluwer). She practices in English and French.
- J.D., Queen's University
- L.L.B., University of Montréal
Mark A. White, Associate Professor of Commerce; Director, McIntire Business Institute, University of Virginia
Mark White’s academic expertise lies in the areas of corporate finance and sustainable business practices. He teaches financial management in the School’s Integrated Core Curriculum program and the McIntire Business Institute, and has developed and taught numerous courses at the McIntire School of Commerce and the Darden School of Business addressing business’s relationship with the natural environment. He is actively involved in several collaborative research projects related to sustainable business, and worked with GreenBlue in developing the Sustainable Business certificate program at UVA.
- Ph.D., Finance, Michigan State University
- M.B.A., Finance, Michigan State University
- M.S., Ecology, Michigan State University
- B.A., Biology, Kalamazoo College
Questions or comments about this new Advisory Committee? Don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected].
About How2Recycle
The How2Recycle® label is a U.S. and Canada-based standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. Over 275 brandowners and retailers are members of How2Recycle, and tens of thousands of products carry the How2Recycle label in the marketplace. How2Recycle is a project of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition®, a membership-based group that brings together businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies to collectively broaden the understanding of packaging sustainability and develop meaningful improvements for packaging solutions. How2Recycle and Sustainable Packaging Coalition are a part of GreenBlue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.
