
Elisa: Startups focusing on sustainability compete in Ajujaht
The Ajujaht accelerator program is in full swing. This year, among the top 20 teams in Ajujaht, there are three teams (Baun, Low imPack, and Pakoo) that are addressing packaging issues to reduce CO2 emissions, conserve resources, and create circular economy-based business models.
“Elisa is a long-term partner of Ajujaht, and this year, we decided to focus on all Ajujaht teams from a sustainability perspective and analyze their activities in this context. Therefore, it’s especially gratifying to see three Ajujaht teams, all working on circular packaging, choosing to operate in an environmentally impactful field and contributing significantly to its development with their products,” said Mailiis Ploomann, Head of Elisa’s Private Customer Unit.
Sustainable circular packaging has become an increasingly important factor in e-commerce business. Packaging made from recycled materials that can be reused has several positive effects for both businesses and society at large. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, one of the world’s leading circular economy organizations, has reported that the use of circular packaging can reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 60% compared to single-use packaging.
E-commerce is a growing industry, and it’s essential to consider its impact on the environment and society. “Traditional e-commerce still uses a large number of single-use packages, which significantly increases waste and harms the environment. Circular packaging, made from recycled materials, supports the principles of a circular economy. Adopting them reduces waste and ecological footprint,” commented Aigi Kukk, Head of Sustainability at Elisa.
Circular packaging changes consumer habits
The production and use of circular packaging also play a vital role in shaping consumer habits. Reusable packaging helps raise awareness among consumers about the problem of packaging waste and encourages them to make environmentally friendly choices. The introduction of circular packaging promotes a change in consumer behavior, as reusable packaging must be returned, creating a rental-based packaging system where consumers return the packaging after receiving the products.
“At Elisa, we are also taking significant steps toward more environmentally friendly packaging. Since March, we have been sending out an average of 10,000 fewer A4 sheets of paper, and we no longer include physical paper invoices in our packaging. This means that, as an optimization of our delivery process, one more tree is saved in the forest every month. We are actively working to replace plastic-based packaging materials with environmentally friendly materials for all our self-packaged products. Together with the Ajujaht circular packaging teams, we hope to pilot return-based packaging solutions in the future,” added Kukk.
Current behavior in the packaging sector needs a strong push. Low imPack, Pakoo, and Baun are all leaders in packaging innovation, forcing the rest of the packaging industry to change. Consumers are aware, and to meet their expectations, sustainable solutions through new packaging materials, design solutions, and recycling processes need to be offered. This will hopefully lead to new business models in the packaging industry in the future, where packaging is not sold as single-use but offered as a service.