HPPA Annual Members meeting. Paper Packaging: The Lever for a Sustainable Green Future

On the occasion of World Environment Day, HPPA successfully held its Annual Members' Meeting, on June 5, 2026, at The Fiction Hotel, bringing together representatives of the corrugated paper packaging industry, institutional bodies, the academic community and the market.

The event, titled "Paper Packaging, the Lever for a Sustainable Green Future," highlighted the critical role of corrugated paper packaging in the circular economy, sustainable development, and the transition to a more efficient and resilient production model.

The meeting was opened by the Secretary General of the HPPA, Maritina Mantzavinatou, presenting the report of the actions of 2025 and the strategic goals of the Association for 2026. Afterwards, the President of HPPA, Vassilis Exarchos, analyzed the geopolitical developments and the most important mega trends that shape the future of paper packaging in Greece and internationally.

Important presentations were made by representatives of the State and institutional bodies. Anastasia Arfanakou from the Ministry of Environment and Energy presented the developments in waste and paper waste management, while Tasos Arvanitis from the Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation (HERRCO) highlighted the course of packaging recycling in Greece and the challenges that still exist to achieve the national targets. Nadia Georgakopoulou, Director General of the SEV Council for Sustainable Development, presented the most important regulatory and environmental changes affecting industrial production, costs and business competitiveness.

Of particular interest was the intervention of Eleni Despotou, Director General of FEFCO, who analyzed the challenges and opportunities created by the new Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) for the corrugated paper packaging industry at European level. Thomas Tzavelakis, ESG & Sustainability Services at KPMG, highlighted how our companies ESG requirements are transformed from a compliance obligation into a lever for business value creation.

The second part of the event was dedicated to the perspective of brands and industry partners. Manthos Michalis, Senior Purchasing Manager from Barilla Hellas,  presented the trends, requirements and challenges faced by  packaging user businesses, while representatives of Fosber, Alkiviadis Bournias, EDF Europe, Andrea Baggio and BHS Miroslav Kolarec showcased the latest technological advancements and innovations that are shaping the future of corrugated board production.

A special place in the program was the presentation of the Associate Professor of the Agricultural University of Athens, Fani Tsironi, on the "Consumer Guide for Foods in Contact with Packaging", an initiative implemented in collaboration with HPPA and aims to provide scientifically documented information to consumers. At the same time, the Vice President of HPPA, Giorgos Filippoglou, presented the new educational programs HPPA Academy and "Students in Practice", which aim to connect the industry with the academic community and the new generation of professionals.

A touching moment of the evening was the awards for many years of contribution by executives of the industry, recognizing the contribution of people who, with their work, experience and timeless presence, contributed substantially to the development of the Greek paper corrugated packaging industry.

HPPA warmly thanks all speakers and participants for their contribution to the success of the event.

Special thanks to our sponsors Flexo & Fosber for their continued support of the industry's actions. 

The speakers' presentations are available below and can be used by the members and partners of the Association as a valuable tool for information and knowledge exchange.

Download the presentations here.

We thank everyone for participating and we renew our appointment for the next HPPA actions.