Last month, our CEO, Telly Chauke, was invited to represent South Africa and share Petco’s internationally recognised operating model as one of the thought leaders at the Converge 2026 Packaging Sustainability Forum in Vienna, Austria.

This global forum is a three-day event dedicated to advancing sustainable packaging solutions and the circular economy.

Hosted at the United Nations campus by GreenBlue and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the forum brought together leaders from the likes of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, GreenCape and RecyClass to share practical solutions, policy developments and innovations shaping the packaging value chain.

Telly was invited to participate as a panellist in The Compliance Cascade: PPWR, Regional EPR Laws, and Your Packaging Portfolio, alongside GreenBlue’s Michelle Carvell and RecyClass chairman Paolo Glerean, where they discussed how evolving packaging regulations are influencing design, producer responsibility and circular economy strategies globally. Telly brought an important South African perspective to this global conversation.

She also attended the plenary sessions and supported fellow SA panellist Saloshnee Naidoo from GreenCape as she shared insights on Possible Futures: New Recovery Infrastructure for Plastic Packaging in Developing Markets. The discussion highlighted the importance of designing recovery systems that reflect local realities, recognising the critical role of the informal sector, strengthening end markets and developing innovative, decentralised approaches to accelerate circularity.

With more than two decades of experience implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in South Africa, Petco is proud to contribute practical insights to these global conversations. Forums like Converge 2026 reinforce the value of collaboration, knowledge sharing and learning from diverse experiences as countries work towards a more circular future.