BPI has a number of Committees and Working Groups for members to participate in. Joining one or all of these groups is the best way to get involved with BPI and to lend your organization’s perspective to the many important issues facing compostable products and organics diversion today. These committees are chaired by a member of the BPI Board of Directors, and are open to employees of BPI Producer and Stakeholder Members. Committees typically meet via conference call once per month. If you are interested in joining one or more of these groups, sign up using  the link below each committee description.

Communications & Outreach      

Board Chair:  Julia Wetstein, Vegware       

Charter: Help facilitate growth in the awareness of the BPI name and certification program. Work across content platforms and specified audience groups to show that certified compostable products not only work in commercial compost facilities, but are crucial to the broader zero waste effort.  

Monthly Call: First Wednesday of the month, 11 EST

Example Projects:

• Work on voluntary industry guidelines for the labeling and identification of compostable products and packaging
• Generate and communicate official BPI positions and statements
• Participate in coordinated efforts to engage with media / press to highlight BPI and compostable products
• Communicate with membership on regulatory topics and developments
• Work with BPI Marketing to deliver on other marketing and communications objectives

Sign up here to join the Communications & Outreach committee  

Standards & Procedures  

Board Chairs: Peg Hoks, Georgia Pacific and Becky Brooks, Natureworks, LLC

Charter: A technical committee overseeing the validation process associated with issuing the BPI Certified Logo. The committee will also act as a liaison between BPI, BPI member companies, and standards bodies such as ASTM. 

Monthly Call: Second Tuesday of every other month, 10 EST

Example Projects:

• Develop "Certification Scheme" to document BPI procedures used to validate compliance with ASTM Standard Specifications D6400 and D6868 (completed February 2019).

• Updates to Certification Scheme as needed, based on areas that need clarification or improvement.
• Discuss the activities of ASTM D20.96 (Environmentally Degradable and BioBased Products Subcommittee), and create updates to membership.

Sign up here to join the Standards & Procedures committee  

Legislation & Advocacy

Board Chair: Jeanette Hanna, BASF 

Charter: A forum for discussing and collaborating on pending legislation that impacts compostable products and packaging, as well as the growth of the composting industry.  Identify projects and resources needed to better advocate for compostables within zero waste systems.

Monthly Call: Last Tuesday of the month, 1 EST  

Example Projects:

• Discuss ongoing legislative threats and opportunities 
• Review activity detailed in national bill tracking service reporting 
• Coordinate efforts to influence legislative activity through public comments and other public feedback mechanisms
• Draft model bill language and distribute to state and local governments

Sign up here to join the Legislation & Advocacy committee 

Membership

Board Chair:  Derek Atkinson, TotalCorbion PLA

Charter: To build the membership and support the activities laid out in BPI's mission statement. Specifically, to build value within the organization that connects with the interests of current and future member companies, and to identify effective methods for communicating the value of BPI. 

Example Projects:

• Current member analysis; Identify segments
• Membership survey to understand what is valued/not valued
• Develop benefits statement and reasons to be a member
• Identify and target undeserved segments with solicitations to join BPI