Putting circularity to work
2026 biennial Awards
Each award recognises leadership and innovation demonstrated through exemplary design choices, systems and infrastructure, behaviour changes, education, transparency and accountability—right across the packaging value chain.
Each category aligns to APCO’s 2030 Strategy and prioritises measurable impact over intent.
All entries are assessed by an independent judging panel through a rigorous, score-based judging process facilitated by third-party platform, EventsAir,
The APCO Awards emphasise evidence, with strong submissions demonstrating Impact, Innovation & circular design, and Leadership and credibility.
Meaningful, measurable environmental and economic outcomes.
Lasting innovation that advances the circular economy.
Strong governance, trusted leadership and industry collaboration.
Recognises packaging designed for reuse, recyclability or composability with demonstrated system compatibility.
Enter if your design works in the real world.
Recognises scalable reuse models that reduce reliance on single-use packaging.
Enter if your organisation sees reuse as not just nice, but infrastructure.
Recognising excellence in improving traceability, reporting integrity, or using data to drive packaging decisions.
Enter if your initiative produces high-value data that translates to better decision-making.
Recognises measurable reduction in environmental harm, including initiatives that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities or place-based protection.
Enter if your initiative considers circularity a part of environmental justice.
Recognises measurable improvements in recovery rates, reprocessing investment, or infrastructure enablement.
Enter if your organisation believes that downstream matters.
Recognises cross-sector partnerships that deliver system-wide impact and unlock systemic outcomes.
Enter if your organisation creates impact through end-to-end collaboration.
Recognises small to medium enterprises demonstrating leadership and ingenuity in circular packaging.
Enter if your organisation is leading the pack in the SME sector.
Awarded to the category-winning entry that demonstrates the greatest measurable contribution that aligns with APCO’s 2030 Strategy through scalable system impact. Winners of each other award category will automatically be nominated for this prestigious achievement.
The Awards are open APCO Members only. All entries must demonstrate initiatives and projects that have been implemented within the previous two years. Submissions that include concepts, early‑stage pilots or other activities that are yet to be implemented and not have evidence of impact will not be considered.
