Matt de Jongh is a passionate forester and advocate for sustainable forest management, championing the environmental, social, and economic benefits of responsibly sourced forest and wood-based products. With a deep belief in wood as the ultimate renewable material, Matt brings a practical and policy-driven perspective shaped by years working across both operational and strategic roles—particularly within regional and rural communities.

His career has been grounded in understanding how policy decisions affect people on the ground, and he is known for building strong, collaborative relationships across government, industry, and community stakeholders. At Responsible Wood, Matt plays a key role in promoting the value of PEFC certification and fostering greater awareness of Australia's commitment to sustainable forestry.

It's about co-creation — creating a unified, evidence-based dialogue that empowers our industry to lead with confidence, consistency, and collective intelligence.

In this follow-up conversation, Matt de Jongh and Zaidee Jackson explore how certification helps brands meet the next wave of sustainability expectations.

Discover how PEFC & Responsible Wood certification:

• Substantiates ESG and climate-related claims
• Supports compliance with Australia's sustainability disclosure frameworks
• Encourages innovation and circular material design

From market access to brand trust — certification is the bridge between policy, purpose, and packaging.

https://www.responsiblewood.org.au

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-de-jongh-301894117/

Matt de Jongh is a passionate forester and advocate for sustainable forest management, championing the environmental, social, and economic benefits of responsibly sourced forest and wood-based products. With a deep belief in wood as the ultimate renewable material, Matt brings a practical and policy-driven perspective shaped by years working across both operational and strategic roles—particularly within regional and rural communities.

His career has been grounded in understanding how policy decisions affect people on the ground, and he is known for building strong, collaborative relationships across government, industry, and community stakeholders. At Responsible Wood, Matt plays a key role in promoting the value of PEFC certification and fostering greater awareness of Australia's commitment to sustainable forestry.

Sustainable packaging starts long before the print press — it begins in the forest.

Discover how Responsible Wood and PEFC are shaping the future of sustainable fibre.

In the first of a two-part Ecoporium by Ball & Doggett series, Matt de Jongh, Sustainability Manager at Responsible Wood, joins Zaidee Jackson to break down the essentials of forest certification.

As a forester, Matt has seen first hand how sustainable forest management safeguards biodiversity, supports regional economies, and ensures that fibre harvested today sustains future generations.

Together, we explore:

• The difference between virgin and recycled fibre — and why both have a place in circular design.
• How PEFC & Responsible Wood certification builds traceability and trust from forest to finished packaging.
• Why credible certification is key to deforestation-free claims and brand credibility.

Gain insight into:

• How PEFC certification safeguards Australia's 16 million hectares of managed forests
• The balance between virgin and recycled fibre
• What chain-of-custody means for printers, converters, and brand owners

https://www.responsiblewood.org.au

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-de-jongh-301894117/

In this ecoporium conversation, Zaidee Jackson sits down with Tim Sykes, Brand Director of Packaging Europe, to discuss the evolution of the Sustainable Packaging Summit and its role in shaping global dialogue on packaging. Together, they unpack the EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), what it means for innovation, compliance, and circularity, and how Australia can learn from Europe's approach.

Tim Sykes is the Brand Director at Packaging Europe, the leading media platform for the international consumer packaged goods value chain. He has been with the organisation since 2006, guiding its evolution from a trade magazine into a multifaceted multimedia and events business.

In his role, Tim leads the development and delivery of key sustainability-focused initiatives, including the Sustainability Awards, a global competition recognising innovation in sustainable packaging, and the Sustainable Packaging Summit, a major industry forum.

Beyond his executive duties, he contributes to industry and environmental progress through voluntary roles. These include serving on advisory boards such as the HolyGrail 2.0 Advisory Group, being on the jury for the Packaging Innovation Awards, being a board member of AIPIA, and mentoring emerging talent in the packaging sector.

Tim is known for his strong interest in the strategic, technological, and regulatory challenges of packaging sustainability, particularly how innovation, material design, digitisation and consumer experience can play a role.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tim-sykes

https://packagingeurope.com/

https://www.packagingsummit.earth/2025/begin?code=Ball%26Doggett

https://www.linkedin.com/company/packaging-europe

Sustainable packaging isn't about trends — it's about purpose. Contain Design Studio focuses on fit-for-purpose solutions that protect products, reduce waste, and align with APCO guidelines. They challenge brands to move beyond greenwashing and create packaging that's not only beautiful, but truly recyclable, reusable, or compostable — all the way from concept to curbside.

Brittney Wheeler is the founder of Contain Design Studio, a product development and packaging design studio based in Melbourne. A strong focus and commitment to ethical and sustainable manufacturing. After the birth of her first child, Brittney launched the studio in 2017, initially working out of a co-working space before expanding into her own studio in 2021.

With a team of five, Contain Design has grown into a business renowned for producing high-quality, plastic-free products, including exhibition merchandise for the National Gallery of Australia and uniquely designed packaging for Melbourne's Supernormal restaurant.

Driven by a passion for smart operations and sustainability, Brittney's work is dedicated to creating innovative designs that not only look beautiful but are environmentally responsible. Her efforts have been recognized with multiple accolades, including being named the Best Packaging Design Specialist for Victoria at the Australian Enterprise Awards.

A true advocate for ethical design, Brittney ensures that her company works only with suppliers who align with her values. She is also committed to maintaining the integrity of her products, recently achieving Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) accreditation to ensure all paper and wood products are responsibly sourced.
Brittney's journey from designer to business leader is a testament to her vision, creativity, and dedication to a sustainable future.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-wheeler-93808250/

https://www.containdesign.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/containdesign/

Sustainability for Kids was founded in March 2022, with the aim to educate younger generations on how to make the switch to a more sustainable living.

Founder and Sustainabilty Specialist Anhely Millán ensured their approach not only helped kids to learn about sustainability but helps to protect and improve the environment where they spend majority of the day, meaning the school, before and after care, or vacation programs. By helping these institutions to be more sustainable as well as implementing sustainable actions, the aim is for kids to follow sustainable behaviours to a point that it is their day-to-day.

The belief that education is key to achieve sustainability targets and this is the main reason why Sustainability for Kids exists.

"I am on a mission to provide education on sustainable practices and develop collaboration opportunities for the planet's greater good"
Anhely, is a purpose driven person, sustainable living advocate and passionate about innovation.

She started her career, back in 2000, as secondary school Teacher just after obtaining her bachelor's degree in chemistry. She is very energetic when it comes to learn new topics, reason why she's done different post-degree studies; some of them in Marketing, Environmental Management and Sustainability.

Across her career she's held different positions in Quality, R&D and Innovation within the food, cosmetics, personal care, and packaging industries, delivering new-to-market products and sustainable packaging solutions.

Early in 2022, she founded Sustainability for Kids and launched her first educational book - The World Behind Recycling - with the purpose to invest in future generations and educate children on how to bring sustainability into their day-to-day activities.

https://www.sustainabilityforkids.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anhely-mill%C3%A1n/

https://ecoporium.com.au/article/anhely-millan-founder-sustainability-for-kids/

An insightful conversation with Sip & Banter and MCC Label Australia centres on the importance of collaboration between brand owners and suppliers, Jo and Amy will share insights into the materials selection and production process, and reveal the strategies used to ensure the brand's message stands out in a competitive market.

Jo Shanahan - Co-Founder/Distiller & Chaos Co-Ordinator
Jo is the co-founder, distiller, and all-round doer of things at Sip & Banter Distillery - a small business where wearing multiple hats isn't just a necessity, it's part of the adventure.

With a background in running a fabrication business alongside her husband, Tim, she is no stranger to the demands of hands-on industries, but Sip & Banter has given them the chance to blend business with creativity, connection, and a love for great gin.
From perfecting recipes, handling production, sourcing suppliers, branding, and everything in between Jo has a hand in every part of the process-, making sure every detail reflects their vision of fun, great drinks, and good company.

Amy Todd - Packaging & Account Management Specialist
With over a decade of experience across the FMCG sector, Amy Todd has established herself as a dynamic force in packaging innovation, product development and strategic account management. As a current Account Manager at MCC Label, Amy expertly navigates the complex needs of clients with a specialized focus on FMCG accounts and a passion for Wine and Spirits.

Amy's extensive background in the packaging includes roles at Endeavour Drinks Group (Pinnacle Drinks), McWilliams Wines and ACCO Brands. Amy has consistently demonstrated exceptional skill in developing innovative packaging formats that drive brand recognition and market penetration. She is passionate about packaging and her past experience has provided her a unique understanding of what clients are looking for and the unique challenges that they face.
Amy's commitment to sustainability and her comprehensive understanding of APCO requirements has made her a valued partner to clients looking to achieve ambitious environmental targets while maintaining product integrity and market appeal.

https://sipandbanter.com.au/

@sipandbanter

https://www.mcclabel.com/en

@mcc.australia

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-todd-690381170/

Wausau Coated Products, Inc., headquartered in Wausau, Wisconsin, is a leading manufacturer of pressure-sensitive products, label materials, and custom coating technologies serving a wide variety of markets. Founded in 1981, Wausau Coated has established itself as a flexible manufacturer that responds quickly to today's rapidly changing demands. The company's founding principle, "The difficult we do today, the impossible takes a day or two longer," continues to be its core philosophy.

Wausau Coated excels in manufacturing high-quality roll and sheet label materials for a variety of end uses. The company's sales and technical staff collaborate daily to understand customer pressure-sensitive needs and develop solutions that provide a competitive advantage for their products.

https://www.wausaucoated.com/about-us

https://ballanddoggett.com.au/?s=wausau

https://ballanddoggett.com.au/product-category/labels/rolls/premium-beverage/

https://ecoporium.com.au/product-index/

Dr Stijn Billiet, Vice President Global Sustainability and Michael Patterson, National Sales Director join Zaidee Jackson in an in depth conversation on our MCC sees the world of labels!

The trio explore a broad range of topics including the process of developing a sustainable label solution for a customer, global supply chains, innovations, trends and technology. They unpack the question: What is better, compostable or recycle?

Insights are shared on how MCC navigates the conversation with their customers in terms of government legislations along with a dive into what are customers priorities in terms if sustainable strategies and labels.

Dr. Stijn Billiet, Vice President Global Sustainability

Dr. Stijn Billiet, MCC's Vice President Global Sustainability, has been in the packaging industry for over 8 years, and brings with him a PhD in organic chemistry and plenty more.

He was awarded Global Label Awards' Rising Star Award in 2022, led MCC in the effort to get SBTi approval for our carbon reduction targets in 2023, and has been integral in developing MCC's new sustainability strategy.

Michael Patterson, National Sales Director

With 3 decades of expertise in the print, paper, and packaging industry, Michael Patterson brings a wealth of experience to his role as Sales Director at MCC Label, where he has been instrumental for the past 7 years.

Michael has forged strong partnerships with top Australian wine brands and is now leveraging his deep industry knowledge to drive success in the Food & Dairy, Beverage, and Pharmaceutical sectors. His strategic leadership and industry acumen make him a pivotal force in delivering exceptional results across diverse markets.

Resources & References

https://www.mcclabel.com/en

https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcclabel/posts/?feedView=all

https://ecoporium.com.au/sustainable-forums/mcc-label-dr-stijn-billiet-senior-director-global-sustainability-liveexperience-appex2024/