Jackson says greenhouse gas management is the area with the most room to grow, and the one large international end buyers care most about right now. “The bigger meaning here isn’t the exact numbers – it’s that GHG management as a discipline (baselines, targets tied to a recognized framework and disclosed progress) is still new for most of the supply base,” Jackson says. “That’s also the clearest opportunity: Suppliers who get ahead of this have a real story to tell end users who are asking the same question.” TABLE 5: Which best describes your approach to greenhouse gas (GHG) management? Progress tracked and disclosed Targets aligned with recognized frameworks Reduction targets set Baseline completed No baseline yet Suppliers $100M+ 31% 8% 0% 54% 8% Suppliers $25M-$100M 21% 12% 9% 24% 35% Suppliers $10M-$25M 5% 5% 9% 14% 68% Suppliers $3M-$10M 10% 5% 5% 15% 65% Suppliers Under $3M 33% 0% 17% 0% 50% Must Read | The State Of Responsibility 2026 The survey suggests that formal measurement and management of packaging and material impacts are still developing across the supplier community, but Pinkley expects that to change significantly. “With emerging extended producer responsibility regulations for textiles and packaging, companies will face increasing expectations to understand the materials they place into the market, how those materials are packaged and what happens to them at the end of their useful life,” Pinkley says. “What may historically have been viewed primarily as a sustainability initiative is increasingly becoming a compliance and operational issue.” TABLE 6: Which best describes how your company manages packaging and material impacts? Impacts measured and reduced over time Supplier engagement on materials and packaging Documented material and packaging guidelines Packaging preferences only No defined approach Suppliers $100M+ 15% 38% 15% 23% 8% Suppliers $25M-$100M 26% 26% 24% 18% 6% Suppliers $10M-$25M 17% 9% 30% 26% 17% Suppliers $3M-$10M 20% 35% 10% 25% 10% Suppliers Under $3M 17% 17% 17% 33% 17% “What may historically have been viewed primarily as a sustainability initiative is increasingly becoming a compliance and operational issue.” — GERALD PINKLEY, CAP AMERICA 30 • OCTOBER 2026 •
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