For Graphic Packaging, 2023 has been a year to remember, as the paperboard consumer packaging innovator scooped a record-breaking 47 awards for product innovation and corporate and leadership excellence. 

Awarded by institutions including Newsweek, Fast Company, Fortune, and Institutional Investor, the accolades for corporate excellence recognized achievements for innovation, ESG, investment value, information technology, talent acquisition, and more.  

President and CEO Michael Doss was recognized by Fastmarkets with the Forest Products North American CEO of the Year award, due to his vision, strategic leadership, and dedication to the company and the industry. In addition, Steve Scherger, EVP and CFO, was named CFO of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in the Large Public Company category. 

Paperboard consumer packaging innovation 

Consumer packaging innovation across all sectors was recognized, with 40 individual awards received across 16 national and international award schemes. The stand-out success of 2023 was undoubtedly Boardio™, the recyclable, paperboard canister that offers an alternative to rigid plastic containers. It won eight awards – seven of which were thanks to the company’s collaboration with confectionery giant Perfetti Van Melle for its Mentos brand of gum. This first-to-market paperboard bottle in the gum category offers a more than 80 percent reduction in plastic use versus a rigid plastic tub, with no loss of structural integrity or barrier performance.  

It’s no surprise that many of Boardio’s awards were in the Sustainability category, something the team behind its development is immensely proud of. One award of note is the Leadership in Sustainability Award for the Circular Value Chain by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). This highly prized award recognizes exemplary sustainability initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry. 

Many more of the awards received this year are for products that help customers with their goal of reducing the reliance on plastic in their packaging portfolio. Unilever’s innovative paperboard, child-proof carton for laundry detergent capsules won both a PAC Global award and a Paperboard Packaging Competition award and is another innovation the company is rightly proud of. This development alone will prevent over 6,000 tonnes of plastic from entering the waste stream every year.  

Ricardo de Genova, SVP of global innovation and new business at Graphic Packaging commented, “I am incredibly proud of, and thankful to, our talented teams around the world, who work tirelessly to deliver game-changing innovations that will make a world of difference to our customers and their consumers. 

Here’s a full list of our 2023 awards:

Corporate excellence 

• Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 
• Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies 2023 
• Institutional Investor Most Honored Company 2023-2024 
• Newsweek America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023 

Leadership excellence  

• Atlanta Business Chronicle CFO of the Year – Steve Scherger 
• Fastmarkets Forest Products North American CEO of the Year – Michael Doss 

IT excellence  

• Computerworld Best Place to Work in IT 2024 

Product innovation  

AF&PA  

• Boardio for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum – Sustainability Award for the Circular Value Chain 

AmeriStar Awards 

• KeelClip™ for Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages – Sustainability Award 

Art of Packaging Award (Poland) 

• Salzburg Schokolade Holiday Kugel carton 

Dieline Awards 

• KeelClip for Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages 
• New Seasons Market PaperSeal™ tray 
• Boardio for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum  

European Carton Excellence Awards 

• Boardio for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum – Public Award and Sustainability Award 
• Oedipus Mannenliefde beer bottle multipack – Platinum Award 

German Packaging Awards 

• Tux Kombipackung filter 

North American Paperboard Packaging Competition 

• Unilever Skip 3-in-1 capsule carton – Sustainability Award of the Year  
• KeelClip for Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages – Gold Award – Sustainability 
• Salzburg Schokolade Holiday Kugel carton – Gold Award – Sustainability 
• Chick-fil-A Cold&Go™ cups – Gold Awards in Sustainability and Innovation 
• Dogfish Head Wake Up World Wide Stout four-bottle carrier – Excellence Award  
• PRESS Seltzer 12-can rounded corner carton – Excellence Award – Innovation 
• Ranobo Quality Nuts PaperSeal tray – Excellence Award – Sustainability 
• McDonald’s hexagonal salad carton – Excellence Award – Sustainability 

PAC Global Awards 

• Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts and Rice Krispies Treats 24-day snack calendar – Best-in-Class Award 
• Mars Wrigley giant Easter eggs carton – Best-in-Class Award 
• Unilever Skip 3-in-1 capsule carton – Sustainable Design Award 
• Fox’s Fabulously Chocolatey biscuit assortment carton – Premium Luxury Award 
• Boardio for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum – Sustainable Design Award 

Packaging News Environmental Packaging Awards 

• Boardio for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum – Gold Award – Confectionery Category 

Pride in Print Awards (New Zealand) 

• Bell Tea, Kenya Bold, 250g  
• Twisted Shotz Box 12x30ml  
• Prolife, Fruit Sticks Apple & Raspberry 
• Ecostore, 1kg, Ultra-Sensitive Laundry Powder  
• Cerebos, Café Gold Coffee Sticks  
• Lakeman, 6x330ml, Big Hairy APA  
• East Imperial, 10x180ml 

Reuters Responsible Business Awards 

• Boardio for Club Coffee  

The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards 

• Pressed board trays for ABP Food Group and Aldi 
• PaperLite™ tray for Cranswick PLC and Tesco 
• Boardio™ for Perfetti Van Melle mentos gum 

TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023 

• Kraft Heinz 360Crisp  

World Beverage Innovation Awards 

• Take and Go Comercio de Bebidas smart fridge beer multipack 

WPO Worldstar Awards 

• LockCon testing kit 
• New Seasons Market PaperSeal tray