Gillian Garside-Wight

Hi Evelio,

I wanted to suggest a guest for Packaging Unboxd who can offer both timely insight and deep industry experience as the global plastics conversation heats up.

Gillian Garside-Wight is Director of Consulting at global sustainable packaging consultancy Aura, whose clients include Amazon, Walmart, and Unilever. With over 25 years advising global brands and retailers, Gill specialises in design-stage sustainability - helping companies make smarter material choices, navigate EPR, and build packaging that works from shelf to disposal.

Her perspective is particularly relevant now, following the new Lancet report warning of a $1.5 trillion annual health cost linked to plastics, and ahead of the final round of global plastics treaty talks. Gill can unpack why recycling alone won’t solve the problem—and why the most meaningful change must start at the design stage.

She’s also been part of the team behind pioneering tech that allows brands to track packaging sustainability in real time, enabling proactive, insight-led decisions rather than retrospective fixes.

On your show, Gill could discuss:

Why purposeful design and material choice are the biggest levers for change

How real-time sustainability data is transforming decision-making for packaging teams

The role of legislation and EPR in driving design innovation

How to balance essential functionality (e.g. food preservation, medical packaging) with environmental impact

If you’re interested, I’d be happy to connect you with Gill to explore episode ideas.