Last year McCormick published its 2017 Purpose-led Performance Report (PLP) detailing sustainability commitments for 2025 and progress toward those goals such as redesigning Old Bay and black pepper cans, reducing glass in European jars, and improving transportation logistics.

“When we talk about PLP, what we’re trying to communicate is that it’s not just about what we do, it’s the impact of what we do,” says Michael Okoroafor, vice president of global sustainability and packaging innovation for McCormick. Recently we caught up with him to learn more about the company’s strategy and how it connects to packaging.

What is the McCormick approach to sustainability and what are the company’s main goals?

Sustainability has been in our DNA, but we decided to dial it up. We call it “purpose-led performance,” which means doing well by doing good. We’re trying to take a holistic approach. Everything we do has to have a positive impact on four major stakeholders: the community, especially our farm communities, the customers like Wal-Mart or Tesco in the U.K., the consumers, and the company.

We have made some audacious commitments. Five iconic spices — black pepper, red pepper, vanilla, oregano, and cinnamon — constitute a lot of what we sell. By 2025, they will be 100-percent sourced sustainably, and the rest will follow suite.

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