Key Takeaways from London Climate Action Week

What it means for sustainable packaging and business strategy

London Climate Action Week 2026 continues to reinforce a clear shift in the sustainability landscape: the conversation has moved beyond ambition and into action.

Bringing together leaders across business, policy, finance and innovation, the week serves as a global checkpoint for climate progress highlighting where real momentum is happening and where more execution is needed.

Packaging is one of the most effective ways businesses can reduce emissions, lower material use and meet evolving sustainability regulations across the UK and Europe.

1. From commitments to implementation

A central theme across discussions was the transition from setting targets to delivering measurable outcomes. Stakeholders are placing greater scrutiny on progress, expecting clear evidence of impact rather than long-term pledges.

How businesses can take action (sustainable packaging strategies):

• Audit current packaging to identify quick wins for material reduction or redesign
• Set short-term, measurable goals tied to packaging performance, not just long-term targets
• Partner with suppliers to pilot solutions that can be tested and scaled quickly
• Focus on improving packaging performance to reduce product damage during shipping, minimizing waste across the supply chain

2. Climate action is now business-critical

Sustainability is increasingly tied to resilience, cost management and long-term growth. Climate strategies must align with real-world performance, not sit separately as standalone initiatives.

How businesses can take action:

• Align packaging strategy with broader business KPIs, including cost, efficiency and damage reduction
• Evaluate total cost of ownership to understand the full impact of packaging decisions across materials, shipping and returns
• Integrate sustainability metrics into operational and supply chain decision-making

3. Circularity and resource efficiency are gaining urgency

Circular economy principles—reducing waste, increasing reuse and improving recyclability—remain a core focus across sectors. The scale of packaging’s environmental impact reinforces the need for system-wide change, as highlighted in research on London’s packaging footprint.

How businesses can take action:

• Transition to packaging formats that support recyclable and circular packaging design within existing regional systems
• Increase use of recycled content where performance requirements allow
• Stay ahead of evolving regulation, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
• Work with partners to improve collection, recovery and reuse pathways

4. Finance and investment are driving progress

Climate finance continues to move center stage, with increased focus on how initiatives are funded and scaled. Businesses are expected to align sustainability efforts with economic value creation.

How businesses can take action:

• Prioritise packaging investments that deliver both environmental and cost savings
• Build internal business cases tied to efficiency gains, waste reduction and risk mitigation
• Leverage sustainability initiatives to support customer, investor and stakeholder expectations

5. Collaboration is essential to accelerate change

No single organization can drive climate progress alone. Partnerships across industries, governments and supply chains are critical to unlocking scalable solutions.

How businesses can take action:

• Collaborate with packaging partners and customers alike, early in the design process
• Engage with customers to align on sustainability goals and expectations
• Explore industry partnerships that support circularity and climate action initiatives

What this means moving forward

The message from London is clear: climate action is advancing and customer expectations are accelerating.

For businesses, the opportunity lies in translating sustainability goals into tangible results. In packaging, that means reducing material use, improving circularity and optimizing systems to deliver measurable impact.

To explore how these strategies can be applied in practice, visit the Pregis sustainable packaging solutions page.