WPO reinforces its mission as a not for profit and non-political global packaging organization
25 August 2016
WPO reinforces its mission as a not for profit and non-political global packaging organization
Since its founding in Tokyo, in 1968, WPO´s (World Packaging Organization) purposes include encouraging the development of packaging technology, science and engineering; contribute to the development of international trade; and stimulate education and training in packaging.
“In the last several years we have been very active in the third item, packaging education. Just as an example, in 2014 we were successful in offering training programs in Bali, Indonesia and in Tra Vinh City, Vietnam; in the first part of 2015 the success was repeated in Jakarta, Indonesia. From August to December 2015, other programs were held in China, Croatia and Vietnam”, explains WPO´s President, Thomas Schneider. Similar education training programs are being planned in Singapore, Vietnam, China, Ghana, Nigeria, Croatia, Italy, among others.
All these programs are financed by the local packaging associations, members of WPO. “Our role in this process is to offer the instructor with the expertise in packaging. WPO understands that education is the best way of improving local packaging industries and the professionals that will, consequently, develop better packaging that can contribute to better quality of life for local societies, for example, offering access to food, medicines, personal care products, etc, and coping with food safety and other regulatory aspects”, continues Schneider.
Another important activity of WPO is to help local industries and professionals to create their own packaging organization. “We also understand that a packaging association is important to give the sector a formal platform to develop and organize education training programs in packaging.” A recent example was the participation of WPO in the creation of Packaging Institutesin Ghana and Nigeria. The Organization offered the local professionals, exclusively, the knowledge to create a successful private, not for profit organization, run by the local industry, whose main value is to spread the packaging culture through valuable packaging education programs.
According to Pierre Pienaar, WPO Vice President Education and responsible for the training programs, “Packaging technology training forums give participants additional educational opportunities today to meet the demands of the workplaces of tomorrow. Education is for life. It is an investment that cannot be lost, spent or taken away and those attending will be better informed to tackle those future challenges, facing the packaging industry, and to be able to prepare themselves for competitive advantages in the wider economic community market”.
