What’s Next — PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz on promoting sustainable packaging practices

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Cheri Scholtz – CEO of PETCO – provides valuable insight into the South African recycling industry.

Scholtz has led PETCO since it was founded in 2004 and has grown it from a small, industry-based initiative to a leading entity at a global level.

In her role, Scholtz performs traditional CEO functions and operates in a hands-on corporate capacity, too.

She represents PETCO on the boards of the Paper and Packaging PRO Alliance, and Packaging South Africa, too.

Additionally, Scholtz has helped develop PET EPR organisations in both Kenya and Ethiopia — which follow the PETCO model — and is on the advisory panel of the African Marine Waste Network.

The interview

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Cheri Scholtz discusses the work PETCO is doing in South Africa.

She begins the interview by explaining what PETCO is, what it does, and who it works with.

Scholtz then discusses the Section 18 amendment to the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, and explains the impact it has on what PETCO does.

She also unpacks PETCO’s recent audits, which showed that its members are overwhelmingly meeting or exceeding their collection and recycling targets.

Scholtz concludes the interview by talking about how PETCO leverages technology and innovation to improve how it serves its members and the environment, and explains how companies can partner with PETCO.

The full interview with Cheri Scholtz can be watched below.