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8 Pallet C e nt ral • Ma rch -Ap r il 2 0 24 W e frequently speak about the value of networking and how associations like NWPCA can significantly assist you as you build your business network. Attend our meetings, engage in conversations, identify opportunities, and then take action. e same occurs for associations as we look to collaborate and leverage the work of each of our organizations to advance our mission and achieve shared goals. I'll spend this article outlining just a few of NWPCA's recent initiatives that do just that. The Alliance For Sustainable Packaging For Foods NWPCA is a founding member of this new coalition that engages with regulators and governments worldwide to adopt a harmonized approach to food packaging regulation. Working with the International Fresh Produce Association, FMI – e Food Industry Association, the Reusable Packaging Association, and nearly a dozen other associations, NWPCA provides an essential voice for how the inherent reuse and recycling characteristics of wooden transport packaging help minimize the environmental impact of packaging disposal. Memorandum Of Agreement With US Forest Service On Online Carbon Data Pla orm Working with the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the American Wood Council, the Hardwood Federation, and a half dozen other organizations, NWPCA was recognized as a leader in quantifying the environmental attributes of wood pallets through the first-ever Environmental Product Declaration in the transport packaging space. We will provide data from our life cycle assessment and assist in reviewing and testing the online digital platform, which will deliver a publicly accessible platform and user-friendly tools for wood product-related carbon calculations. Global Wood Packaging Forum (GWPF), The EU PPWR, And Country Agreements Helping build, facilitate, and lead the GWPF has been an ongoing priority for NWPCA. Building an organization that consists of wood packaging associations worldwide has led to impactful engagement with the EU in Brussels, Belgium, on their Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and on ISPM15 issues globally. e relationships we built have also led to our signing country partnership agreements for PDS promotion in the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Canada, with additional country-specific agreement announcements to come soon. is work has brought our global industry closer together and fueled NWPCA's international growth, with members now in nearly 40 countries. ese are just a few of our partnerships with other organizations that provide clear insights into why we invest our time in networking. Putting partnerships into practice expands opportunities, drives growth, and helps you build lasting personal relationships that make each day fun and rewarding. Expanding your time networking and being thoughtful and intentional is a 2024 New Year's Resolution worth keeping. Sincerely, Brent J. McClendon, CAE President & CEO Pu ng Partnership Into Prac ce A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

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