The Understanding Packaging (UP) Scorecard

A free to use online tool that measures the health and environmental impacts of widely used food containers and packaging materials, based on current science and validated by diverse stakeholders.

The UP Scorecard Explained

Food packaging purchasers and sustainability professionals struggle to thoroughly review and compare the multiple products relevant to their work. This task is made more complicated by the large number of materials and material combinations in food packaging and the various environmental and health impacts of those products. This is where the UP Scorecard comes in.

Six Impact Areas

The UP Scorecard looks at six separate impact areas when assessing the human and environmental impacts of foodware and food packaging products:

  • Chemicals of Concern
  • Climate
  • Water Use
  • Plastic Pollution
  • Recoverability
  • Sustainable Sourcing

Launch the UP Scorecard

This free, open-sourced tool backed by sustainability and foodservice leaders brings consistency and transparency to the food packaging and service ware industry. The Scorecard was built using life cycle assessment (LCA) science but positions the information in a conveniently consumable way so better choices are easy to make.

About the SUM Decelerator

The SUM Decelerator is produced by The Lexicon, with support from the Food Team at Google. The Lexicon’s activator program brings together food companies, NGOs, scientists, entrepreneurs, and food producers from across the globe to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing our food systems, from regenerative agriculture to food is medicine. Instead of an activator for startups or new products, participants design, rapidly prototype, and release tools for change every six months.

Team

The SUM Decelerator features an unprecedented collaboration of leading food service companies, environmental NGOs and technical experts.