Leaders to tackle industry shifts, sustainability, workforce trends at 2025 PN Executive Forum

As reported in Plastics News, the M&A market grew moderately last year, up 5 percent from the year before, according to P&M Corporate Finance. The question is whether potential interest rate cuts and other measures from the new administration will spike that number this year. At the 2025 Plastics News Executive Forum, a panel featuring accounting firm Wipfli, a private equity buyer and a corporate attorney, will address this. Hey, the panelists even think that potential investors are flush with cash. Are we in the money?

The Executive Forum will also feature a keynote presentation from Erin Simon, vice president and head of plastics waste at the World Wildlife Fund. The WWF was a major participant in the recent global plastics treaty and was disheartened when talks broke down in December. But Simon will discuss how efforts are continuing in plant waste reduction and the avoidance of harmful chemicals. “That sentiment cannot be ignored as we move forward,” Simon told Plastics News’ Steve Toloken.

I asked Simon to answer a few questions about how the plastics industry can meet critical sustainability goals, both as companies and as a group. Simon will keynote at the Plastics News Executive Forum on March 12. Learn more about the conference or register

How critical is it for the plastics industry to move forward with sustainability goals within their own organizations, and can this be done now?

Now is a critical time for the plastics industry to move forward with developing and implementing goals that will improve the sustainability of the industry as a whole. The science is clear — plastic pollution is harmful to both planetary and human health, but by setting targets that will improve our circular materials system, the industry will become more resilient as global and domestic polices change. It’s understandable that every company is at a different place in their sustainability journey, but regardless of where a company stands, starting now or continuing the work that is already underway is a smart investment.

Will the global plastics treaty have a key effect on the industry and work being done by plastics-based manufacturers?

Shifting to safer, more prosperous circular supply chains requires all actors building out the shared back end of the system. This is an opportunity for manufacturers to not only partner in the initial design and development of materials and products but also in the recovery of them to be used again and again. Time and again, U.S. manufacturing has come together to create more quality and resiliency for a higher value (food safety, automotive, human rights to name a few). Now is the time to do so once again for materials, and the end result will be product your customers will be proud to pass onto consumers.

What opportunities are available to plastics companies to meet some of these goals?

Measuring impact and transparency: Companies should take part in transparent reporting of their plastic waste footprint. By doing so, companies can track their individual progress while helping to identify areas where further action is needed across the entire plastics sector.

Voluntary corporate action + systems change: Voluntary corporate action is necessary but alone won’t tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Companies need to collaborate, advocate, and invest beyond their own operations to make a meaningful impact on addressing plastic pollution. Whether it’s advocating for policies like national EPR in the U.S. or calling for an ambitious and legally binding global treaty, driving broader systems change will help companies address what they can't undertake on their own.

Angela Elsey, president of mold base supplier PCS Company, has a story to tell. The company has changed its culture to reflect a diverse workforce and get away from a top-down structure that may have hindered operations in the past. The company also recently invested $3 million in expansion, as it claims it's the only U.S. manufacturer of mold bases that also supplies mold components. Elsey will provide details of the company’s many changes at the Executive Forum in a session that could inspire others.

Elsey will give a closing keynote address on March 12 at the PN Executive Forum. She will discuss the transformation that her company has undergone and outline areas that others should consider to face coming industry challenges. Registration is still open for the Executive Forum, to be held March 10-12 in La Jolla, Calif. Here's a recent Q&A with Elsey.

I know that PCS was named a Michigan Best Places to Work in 2023 and 2024. What are a few of the attributes that you think contributed to this award?

So many moving pieces have made this possible. First, everything we do is based on trust and respect. Without mutual trust and respect, we have nothing. In order to be named a top workplace, team members completed a survey. We spent a lot of time understanding the results of the survey. We worked on improving the opportunities for improvement. For example, a few years ago the survey said the employees did not have “confidence in senior leadership.” I know we have a very skilled leadership team, so this surprised me. What I realized is that we were not communicating enough. Our biweekly communications now highlight specific departments. The leaders will present to share with the organization what key projects they are working on. We share a lot of information at our town halls twice per year. Within one year, “confidence in senior leadership” became one of our strengths.

You are going to talk about connecting individually with team members as an important means to build an organization. What is the rationale behind that?

We believe that leading with empathy is critical. You cannot do this unless you know your team members. What pain points do they have? What are they struggling with? How can I help? If you do not get to know team members, you will never have that mutual trust and respect, and it will be difficult to truly work together to drive the business forward. Our leaders do an amazing job knowing their team members. I try my best to know each and every one of the 120 team members. If someone is underperforming, we hold those conversations to understand why. If they need training or another department’s support, we make sure that happens. If they have something going on at home, we try to offer whatever flexibility we can. Life happens, and we have a business to run. We work together to try to ensure both of those things thrive (work and life).

What are a few ways that you're used communication to help transform your company?

Our “what’s your idea” form on our portal has been a huge success. Anyone can submit, and it copies the leadership team so we can all review together. We share a lot of high-level information at our town halls twice per year. We share market data so everyone can understand if we should expect to “batten down the hatches” or prepare for growth. We share strategic initiatives, so everyone understands what key goals they can support to help get us to our target. We have brief (15-30 minute) calls biweekly. These are virtual and for the entire organization. We share any key items and allow a manager to share what is going on with their departments. These meetings often foster a lot of open dialogue.

Employee empowerment has emerged as a key industry topic, as companies look for novel ways to get more employees engaged and part of future success. Plastics News’ three candidates for its 2024 Processor of the Year award — Intek Plastics LLC, Plastic Molding Manufacturing Co. and Redline Plastics LLC — all have great tales to tell on how fueling employee engagement has led to growth and success. “It’s about simplicity and allowing our workers to do what needs to be done for us to be successful,” said Plastic Molding Manufacturing CEO George E. Danis on a recent plant visit.

Similarly, at the Executive Forum, Nexeo Plastics President and CEO Kurt Schuering will offer depth on sustaining employee development in a time of market challenges and economic pressures. And a joint presentation from Kristin Kelley of Amcor Rigid Packaging and Sean O’Grady of WorkBrand will provide details on an employee value proposition initiative that Amcor is launching companywide to get employees more attuned to their success. In a presentation in 2022 at the Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum, Kelley told attendees that employees need to do more than deliver an idea; they need to create it. “But let me get it in your head that you are not just the messenger; you are the message,” she said.