Inspired by nature, Pierre Paslier and his colleagues at Notpla are reinventing food packaging to protect the environment and end single-use plastic packaging.

Last year, the world used 139 million tonnes of single-use plastics, up from 133 million tonnes in 2019 – a one kilogram per person increase. Made from oil, these plastics now generate as much greenhouse gas emissions as the United Kingdom, according to recent analysis by the Minderoo Foundation. And many of these plastics will clutter up the earth for hundreds of years before they finally biodegrade.

In this episode of our Outpacing Change mini-series, we meet a visionary who is determined to reverse this trend. As co-founder of Notpla, Pierre Paslier, is literally making packaging that disappears. Notpla’s packaging solutions are made from seaweed and plants that is biodegradable and home compostable.

This is a conversation that covers the highs and lows Pierre’s journey. From experiments and crowdfunding in his student kitchen in London, to breakthrough products and winning the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for the environment. Along the way, Pierre shares his tips for business leaders who are seeking to introduce radical change, and he reveals a mega trend that could make or break their organisations.

This episode is part of Ashurst’s special Outpacing Change mini-series that includes a collection of conversations with innovators and disruptors who have challenged the status-quo and are changing the world around them.