Joanne Grundy, quality and systems manager at flexographic plate manufacturer, Contact Originators, has won the Packaging Operations Excellence Award at the inaugural Women In Packaging Excellence Awards.
The awards, which were announced in a dinner held on July 10th at the Hilton Bankside in London, celebrates achievements by women in the UK packaging sector, aiming to champion a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future for packaging.
Grundy was presented the Packaging Operations Excellence Award for delivering measurable impact for Contact, particularly by being a driving force behind the company’s sustainability strategy and quality management.
This included helping Contact to achieve EcoVadis Gold certification and carbon neutral status, as well as implementing waste reduction programmes that saved a reported 47 tonnes of waste in 2024 alone.
Grundy led other initiatives including creating a fully paperless production environment, completing comprehensive supplier packaging audits, and solidifying the company’s commitment to the UN Global Compact.
Speaking of her award, Grundy says: “I’m incredibly honoured to receive this recognition.
“This is truly a team achievement and reflects the dedication of everyone at Contact Originators. The packaging industry has enormous potential to drive positive change, and I’m passionate about being part of that journey. It was also fantastic to see so many inspirational and high-performing women being honoured and recognised at the awards – a real celebration of talent in our industry.”
In a statement about her win, Contact stresses that Grundy’s contributions "extend beyond environmental impact."
The company highlights Grundy's work during the company’s recovery from a major fire in 2020, where she led the complete rebuild of quality and environmental management systems, maintained zero non-conformances during audits, and supported a 15% business growth.
Steve Mulcahy, chief executive officer of Contact Originators, comments: “Jo’s recognition at the Women In Packaging Excellence Awards is thoroughly deserved.
“Her technical expertise, resilience, and vision have been central to our success. During our most challenging times, Jo’s leadership stood out, and her sustainability work has set a new standard for the industry. She truly embodies the spirit of innovation, quality, and commitment – everything Contact stands for.”
Other winners of the Women In Packaging Excellence Awards included Catherine Conway of GoUnpackaged, who won Best Packaging Innovator (SME), Gillian Garside-Wight of Aura, who won Sustainable Packaging Innovator, and Emily Mappin of Northern Monk, who was presented with the Rising Star in Packaging Award.