The Evolution of ‘Every Bottle Back’
Monday, Aug. 14, 2023
1:15 – 2:00 p.m.
Charlie Schwarze, Board Chair, Circular Action Alliance (and Director of Sustainability, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc) | Erin Black, Vice President, Sustainability and Risk Management, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida | Moderator: Elizabeth DeWitt, President and CEO, Florida Beverage Association
This session will cover:
A nationwide initiative, launched by beverage companies in 2019, to reduce the sector's plastic footprint and collect more material for recycling.
The specific factors that have traditionally limited beverage container recycling in Florida.
Strategies to align the goals of brand companies and municipalities when it comes to enhancing materials recovery and wider sustainability.
Speaker Bios
Charlie Schwarze, Director of Sustainability / Board Chair, Keurig Dr Pepper / Circular Action Alliance
Charlie Schwarze serves as the board chair for the Circular Action Alliance, the nation’s first nonprofit producer responsibility organization (PRO) for paper and packaging. CAA was established to support paper and packaging producers in meeting their obligations under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations where they exist in the United States. In his full-time role, Schwarze leads packaging sustainability work for Keurig Dr Pepper and focuses his time on reducing the environmental impact of packaging for the company's 125-plus owned, licensed and partner brands.
Charlie Schwarze
Erin Black, Vice President of Sustainability and Risk Management, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida
Erin Black leads the Coca-Cola Beverages Florida’s strategy and execution of risk management and sustainability with proven enterprise-wide strategy creation. She has extensive experience in risk management, process improvement, compliance, and process modeling and analysis, having formerly served as Coca-Cola Refreshments’ vice president of environmental, health, safety and sustainability. Prior to this, at Kellogg Company, Black served as senior global technical director of environmental and safety. Black also serves on the board of directors’ Executive Committee of Keep Florida Beautiful. Keep Florida Beautiful works with a network of more than 40 county and city affiliates to engage and educate citizens, visitors and communities to improve Florida through litter prevention, increased recycling, education and beautification efforts.
Erin Black
Elizabeth DeWitt, President and CEO, Florida Beverage Association
Elizabeth DeWitt is the President and CEO of the Florida Beverage Association (FBA), where she oversees public policy initiatives and works with local and state governments on issues surrounding the beverage industry. FBA is the state trade association of non-alcoholic beverage producers, marketers, bottlers and distributors. Its member companies, which include PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and many others, make and sell some of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages, including regular and diet soft drinks, bottled water and water beverages, 100% juice and juice drinks, isotonic drinks, kombuchas, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas.
Elizabeth DeWitt
Back to the full 2023 Detailed Schedule.