OPRL Celebrates Nominations at the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards 2026
The Women in Packaging Excellence Awards 2026 are back to celebrate inspiring women who are driving innovation and progress across the UK packaging industry.
Organised by Packaging News, the awards recognise outstanding achievements from women working across the packaging supply chain.
This year’s awards will take place on Thursday 18 June 2026 at the Hilton Bankside, London, for an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence in packaging.
Recognising women shaping the packaging industry
The Women in Packaging Excellence Awards celebrate women at every stage of their careers, from rising stars to established industry leaders.
The awards highlight individuals who are making a real impact through innovation, sustainability initiatives, technical expertise and leadership within the packaging industry.
With entries judged by a panel of senior industry experts, including OPRL’s Managing Director, Jude Allan, the awards provide a valuable platform to recognise the talent and contributions of women working across the sector.
Three OPRL colleagues nominated
We’re delighted that three members of the OPRL team have been nominated in the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards 2026.
Below is a summary of their achievements and the reasons for their nominations in 2026:
Alice Harlock – Director of Technical and Member Services
Nominated for: Woman of the Year – Recycling and Circular Innovation, and Woman of the Year – Service Providers, Associations and Trade Bodies
Alice has played a central role in developing OPRL’s labelling scheme, earning strong respect across the industry for her clear, accessible and engaging approach.
Through her work with a wide range of members, she has developed deep expertise in packaging materials and best practice, enabling her to provide informed, impartial insight.
Driven by a passion for reducing waste, she is committed to making complex information clear and actionable for all audiences.
Emily Gardiner, Packaging & Recycling Manager
Nominated for: Sustainability Champion, Manufacturers & Materials
Emily’s expertise is grounded in experience at WRAP and further developed over nine years at OPRL, alongside achieving a distinction in the Certificate of Packaging (IOM3).
She is trusted by OPRL members for her technical insight and pragmatic approach, helping them make more sustainable packaging decisions and identify viable alternatives. Her work consistently delivers positive impact, reflected in strong member feedback and improved packaging outcomes.
Molly Beck, Project & Member Support Executive
Nominated for: Rising Star – Early Career (Under 5 Years’ Experience)
Since joining OPRL in September 2021, Molly has become a valuable asset to the Project Team and has recently achieved a Merit in her Level 4 Project Management Apprenticeship.
She has successfully project-managed the delivery of a system enabling access to live data, supporting the monitoring and improvement of member tools. She consistently demonstrates a forward-thinking, evidence-based approach.
We are incredibly proud of Alice, Emily and Molly for their well-deserved nominations.
We look forward to celebrating achievements of many inspiring women across the packaging industry at the awards ceremony.
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Find out more about becoming an OPRL member and how we can support your recycling labelling needs.