Pet Sustainability Coalition hosted its fourth annual conference last week, Impact Unleashed 2020, bringing together pet industry professionals from across the industry to tackle issues of environmental sustainability and social equity.

A majority of pet owners are willing to pay more for sustainable pet food and treat packaging, meaning this topic is still a hot-button issue for manufacturers and packaging suppliers.

A life cycle assessment of Earth Animal’s bio-based packaging revealed the materials require fewer fossil fuels, emit less greenhouse gasses, but require more water use than two other packaging materials.

Stephanie Volo of Earth Animal, Chantal Saelen of Belgium-based Moderna, and AdreAnne Tesene of Two Bostons will join the company’s advisory board.

The organization expects more than 500 attendees at this year’s event centered around building collaborative sustainability in the pet industry.

MFiber, a producer of Miscanthus grass fiber, conducted a life cycle analysis with Pet Sustainability Coalition to determine it has a lower environmental impact than powdered cellulose.

A program established by Earth Animal, Pet Food Experts and Pet Sustainability Coalition to collect and upcycle used pet food and treat packages was officially launched Aug. 3.

The Pet Sustainability Coalition has partnered with WeSpire to launch a month-long campaign to help companies improve social equity.

The organization added two pet food company executives to its board, as well as two staff members to its internal team.