Rethinking Plastic Materials for Product Packaging

Robbert Slooten is sustainability program manager at Signify, the world leader in lighting formerly known as Philips Lighting. In this role, Robbert now oversees a sustainable packaging program, driving global multidisciplinary project teams to identify and implement non-plastic packaging solutions. Prior to his current role, Robbert managed two of Signify’s Brighter Lives, Better World commitments - zero carbon and zero waste. He was responsible for building Signify’s carbon emissions reduction and offsetting strategy. Under his direction, Signify completed the first-ever virtual Power Purchase Agreement in Poland and was the first corporate to apply IRECs in the Gulf region. Robbert studied Industrial Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology, where he mastered in Innovation Management with a focus on Sustainable Energy Technologies.

Thomas Marinelli is heading the Sustainable Design & Products program in Signify. Signify is a global leader in lighting, with recognized expertise in the development and application of innovative, energy-efficient lighting systems and services that improve people’s lives. Philips/Signify have focused on environmental sustainability since the 1970s. Mr. Marinelli is responsible for driving Sustainability strategic priorities towards product businesses, identify energy efficiency and other sustainable design opportunities for the lighting product portfolio, and identify business opportunities in making the Signify propositions more interesting and attractive for the customer. Mr. Marinelli has a PhD in heterogeneous catalysis and an MBA degree from the Rotterdam School of Management. He started his working career in The Coca-Cola Company where he had various assignments in product integrity and process improvement. In the past fifteen years he was responsible for vast variety of sustainability projects in several Royal Philips businesses before moving to his current position in Signify (formerly Philips Lighting).