Clearly defining a company's sustainability position can be a major differentiator for packaging companies today, but the dangers of green washing and commodification remain. ABI (www.abipr.com) will conduct a workshop at PIRA 2009 Sustainability in Packaging Conference held March 2-4 in Orlando (www.sustainability-in-packaging.com) on avoiding these pitfalls and creating business opportunities through green initiatives.

Conducted by Alan Isacson, president and Tim Colbert, director of ABI Marketing Public Relations, this workshop will give attendees one-to-one advice on how to shape corporate messaging and promote company-wide sustainability initiatives more effectively. Mr. Isacson and Mr. Colbert will discuss the best way to define sustainability and avoid claims of green washing by analyzing the market landscape, defining a company's position in their industry, and analyzing the results of findings. They will also discuss how companies can avoid the commodity trap by positioning and differentiating based on the business value to customers rather than simply promoting products and technologies.

"Sustainability is like any other positive benefit of a company. You have to communicate the value to your customer and the entire supply chain," says Alan Iscason. "That’s why we introduced Sustainability Driver."

The new program identifies and positions sustainability benefits, creates strategic messaging platforms and develops a focused communications plan. These efforts help businesses fuel relationships with key customers and discover new sales opportunities. For more information on the Sustainability Driver program visit www.sustainbilitydriver.com.

For its nearly 30 years of exclusive focus on BtoB, ABI has developed tactics and strategies to help manufacturers overcome commodification, communicate benefits over features, and reach key specifiers. ABI has used this unique experience to create Sustainability Driver especially for BtoB companies.

ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN PACKAGING 2009

Building on its unprecedented success in 2008, Sustainability in Packaging will attract key leaders and innovators in sustainability to the Rosen Plaza hotel in Orlando, Florida, March 2-4, for three days of prescient talks, lively discussion, and valuable networking. With sustainability becoming a more salient component of the consumer conscience and business strategy, now, more than ever, it is imperative for you to learn the latest developments for sustainable packaging. Whether you wish to learn how to reduce your company's environmental footprint, get updated on the latest material and design advances, or to better understand how to market sustainable products, you will not want to miss Sustainability in Packaging 2009.

Featuring over 40 talks, a multi-tracked program placing special emphasis on discussion and delegate interaction, and two intensive pre-conference seminars, Sustainability in Packaging 2009 will offer a comprehensive assessment of the entire industry. Several key industry players including Estee Lauder, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, DuPont, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Unilever, John & Johnson, The Kellogg Company, Nokia, and more have already committed to speaking at this year's event.

ABOUT ABI

Founded in 1980, ABI, Inc. specializes exclusively in business-to-business marketing public relations. ABI provides global market support services to companies in diverse industrial and technology market segments. Offices in New York, London, and Singapore provide rapid response to business and publicity opportunities for clients.