Hardware Podcasts

44 - Philippe Erhart - leadership in a crisis and how sustainability and diversity connect

People of Packaging · 29 Dec 2020 · 52m

What this episode covers

Philippe Erhart, President of North America for Beauty and Home at Aptar, discusses his leadership during the pandemic, emphasizing empathy, transparency, and the decision to avoid layoffs while prioritizing employee safety. He details Aptar's focused strategy in dispensing technologies across beauty, food, and pharma, and highlights the company's aggressive shift toward sustainability, specifically converting from virgin plastics to post-consumer resin (PCR). Erhart also connects the industry's sustainability challenges to broader social issues, arguing that diversity, inclusion, and civil discourse are essential for business resilience and societal progress.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Aptar, Sonoco, Mitsubishi, Unilever, Proctor and Gamble, L'Oreal
Products
Loop
Tools
Ensure

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • How I Built This · 23m

    How I Built Resilience: Live with Jenn Hyman

    Jenn Hyman, co-founder of Rent the Runway, discusses how the company navigated the pandemic by cutting non-personnel expenses, executing layoffs and furloughs, and keeping warehouses open to preserve operational knowledge. She explains the strategic pivot toward the circular economy, emphasizing sustainability and value, while restructuring leadership to empower employees with transparency and data. Hyman also addresses the criticism that fashion is frivolous during a crisis, arguing that clothing provides essential normalcy and joy, and reflects on how remote work may permanently reshape workforce dynamics and gender equity.

    Leadership, teams & cultureScaling production
    8 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 11m

    Electronica 24: InCap's Otto Pukk Wants Manufacturing to be Thoughtful, Sustainable and Fun

    Otto Pukk, CEO of InCap, discusses the company's strategic focus on sustainability, ESG compliance, and regional supply chain shifts during his presentation at Electronica 2024. He explains how InCap utilizes data from EU regulations to improve efficiency and emphasizes the importance of industry-wide cooperation for scope three assessments. Pukk also details InCap's successful expansion into India and the US, highlighting their acquisition of Teletronics and the integration of acquired teams through a decentralized, employee-led culture.

    Sustainability & circular productsManufacturing partners & offshoring
    7 chapters

  • How I Built This · 27m

    How I Built Resilience: Live with Melanie Perkins and Bill Creelman

    Melanie Perkins, founder of Canva, discusses how the company maintained its $6 billion valuation and avoided layoffs during the pandemic by leveraging its profitable status and online-first culture, while shifting user design habits from physical to digital formats. Bill Creelman, founder of Spindrift, explains how his sparkling water brand navigated the collapse of food service sales by pivoting to e-commerce and grocery channels, while also addressing internal diversity and social justice issues. Both founders reflect on leadership during crisis, emphasizing resilience, community support, and the opportunity for innovation amidst market disruption.

    Leadership, teams & cultureDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    8 chapters

  • How I Built This · 48m

    Leading through radical change with Julia Hartz of Eventbrite

    Julia Hartz, co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, recounts how the company survived the pandemic by pivoting from live ticketing to supporting virtual events and fundamentally resetting its strategy to focus on 'super creators'—frequent event organizers. She details the decision to lay off half the workforce, raise significant capital despite being a public company, and shift the business model toward a two-sided marketplace with marketing tools like Eventbrite Boost. Hartz also discusses the challenges of leading a remote-first organization, managing stock price volatility, and navigating the complexities of freedom of assembly and corporate political neutrality.

    Leadership, teams & culturePricing, margins & unit economics
    9 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 39m

    The State of Manufacturing: Resilience in Uncertain Times with Willem Sundblad

    Willem Sundblad, CEO and Co-Founder of Oden Technologies, discusses findings from the 2022 State of Manufacturing report, surveying over 300 manufacturers on resilience, digitization, and sustainability. He explains that companies investing in digital tools and sustainable practices are outperforming competitors, driven by labor shortages and supply chain disruptions that force re-engineering and increased use of recycled materials. Sundblad highlights the importance of empowering frontline staff for faster decision-making and notes that the 'aftershocks' of the pandemic continue to impact labor and supply chain dynamics in 2023.

    Scaling productionSustainability & circular products
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by People of Packaging. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.