Women in Packaging event returns for interpack 2026

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Women in Packaging event returns for interpack 2026

14 Apr 2026

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

DUSSELDORF, GERMANY — After its debut in the 2023 edition of interpack, the Women in Packaging event will return to this year’s iteration of the trade fair. On May 11 at 10:30 a.m., women at all levels of their careers are invited to participate in the programming, hosted by journalist Emily Wigham.

“Women in Packaging was still an exception when it premiered in 2023 — today, dialogue on these topics is an integral part of the industry,” said Thomas Dohse, director of interpack. “This exchange is becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of qualified personnel and future skills. interpack introduces a particular international dimension in this respect: participants from all over the world meet speakers from Europe, the USA, South America and Australia and combine different perspectives.”

Women in Packaging will kick off with a keynote presentation from Caroline Babendererde, head of sustainability, Mid Europe at Tetra Pak. Her background includes nearly 30 years of experience in environmental and sustainability management, with more than 20 of those spent in the packaging sphere.

“Packaging is a crucial component of food safety,” she said. “We need to demonstrate much more clearly that it protects products, ensures quality and prevents food losses. In doing so, we will be making a direct contribution to the security of supply and climate protection. We want to actively strengthen this awareness — among young people, career starters and, of course, not only among women, because those who recognize our industry’s responsibility and innovative strength also see its strong future opportunities. When it comes to diversity, I hope that equity and diversity will soon be a matter of course. We are making progress, but we still have work to do, especially in the apprenticeship and education sector.”

“What makes [Women in Packaging] so special are the open discussions, the networking, the opportunity to be inspired by women who have already travelled this path.” — Nerida Kelton | VP of sustainability & save food, World Packaging Organisation | executive director, Australian Institute of Packaging

Programming continues with a panel featuring Jill Evanko, CEO of Duravant; Dr. Kerstin van Wijk, global head of innovation packaging adhesives at Henkel; Luciana Pellegrino, president of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO); and Dr. Julia Hartmann, a professor at EBS University.

The conversation, moderated by Nerida Kelton, VP of sustainability & save food at WPO and executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging, will cover each panelist’s perspective on the industry, as well as their personal experiences and career trajectories.

“The first Women in Packaging event at interpack 2023 showed us that events like this are desired by the global industry,” Kelton said. “What makes it so special are the open discussions, the networking, the opportunity to be inspired by women who have already traveled this path, and the occasion for participants to ask questions, discuss challenges and learn from one another. For me, it’s about meeting new people, hearing their stories and strengthening my own global network of inspiring women in the packaging industry that I can draw on in the future.”

This year, the Women in Packaging programming will also feature “Topic Hubs.” These networking sessions will cover everything from career pathways to personal branding to work-life balance.

Space is limited for this portion of the event. For additional information and to register, visit the interpack website.

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