The Importance of Data in Responsible Storytelling and Sustainable Packaging

Insights from our Sustainable Packaging Webinar Series with Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex.

Australian authorities are cracking down on greenwashing claims, and with ASIC recently fining Mercer Australia $11.3 million for misleading ESG claims, suddenly this threat has become very real.

One of the most critical strategies companies can employ to avoid penalties like these is to back up their claims with data.

Continuing our Sustainable Packaging Webinar Series, our October guest, Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex, shared her hard-earned insights, highlighting the pivotal role of well-managed data in responsible storytelling.

As brands face increasing scrutiny and standards, from APCO's recent eco-modulation announcement to the ACCC's greenwashing guidelines, the ability to back up claims with verifiable data has never been more important.

Below are some of the key insights from the webinar. You can also view the full recording of the webinar, as well as and an edited highlight reel on our YouTube channel

Data as the foundation for effective marketing

Amy's career in data-driven marketing has taken a long arc from "fluffy" marketing to a more facts-oriented approach.

Having started her career in PR, Amy quickly realised she was drawn to the more data-oriented side of marketing to fulfil her desire to anchor her marketing in reality.

"Starting from fact, starting from something that's provable, and then taking that in a creative or engaging space, is the place that I've had most success." Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex.

Amy's emphasis on the importance of data in marketing reflects an industry-wide recognition that gut instincts or "nice-to-have" storytelling no longer suffice. Customers, investors, and regulators increasingly demand more transparency and accountability from businesses and brands.

And the only way to meet these expectations is with clear, verifiable data.

‍Consistency and clarity in data management

One of the biggest data challenges for businesses today is data fragmentation. In many organisations, data is scattered across emails, spreadsheets, PDFs, and even handwritten notes and Post-its, making it difficult to know what your baseline is—let alone make improvements.

This is a significant pain point that we've identified in this space here at Phantm, but Amy really hit the nail on the head with this comment:

"We found that people have it in everything, from emails to spreadsheets, to scraps of paper written on their desk. There's nothing I can do with that at the moment... there's no insights, there's no business gains to be had from that. Making sure your data is in a consistent format, and being able to be gathered and stored somewhere logical, I think, is one of the most important things a company can do right now to set themselves up for data success in the future." Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex.

This fragmentation presents a significant barrier for companies looking to scale their sustainability efforts. Organising and unifying data is about more than just operational efficiency. It's about establishing a baseline to reduce your impact and meet evolving standards.

As such, Phantm is developing a solution to tackle this very issue, so watch this space. But in the meantime, you still need to gather all the key data from your suppliers (or if you’re a supplier, consolidate specs) into one streamlined file to do a Packaging Lifecycle Assessment.

Once you have your baseline, you can see where the easy wins are and begin your journey to making better, more informed decisions.

APCO has released its 2030 strategy, and by 2025, the UN's legally binding Global Plastics Treaty will be in force. Knowing your baseline packaging data is essential for brands that want to adapt and thrive in this rapidly changing regulatory environment.

Tackling greenwashing with verified claims

The crackdown on greenwashing, particularly in Australia, is reshaping how businesses communicate their sustainability efforts. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has made it clear that misleading claims about sustainability will not be tolerated, with hefty fines already being imposed on companies.

For Amy and Glen Dimplex, navigating these regulations is all about transparency.

"We've seen things like comparison ads since the dawn of time... I don't think they're asking for anything that's any different from those points," Amy said of the ACCC's guidelines.

Her approach to sustainability claims is straightforward: be as specific as possible, avoid being broad, and back up every claim with data.

This ensures that your business complies with regulations, meets standards, and builds trust with your consumers.

Another important point Amy made was ensuring your packaging design matches the evidence of your claim.

"If it's only 20% of recycled material, your entire box probably shouldn't be green. Those two don't quite match." Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex.

Every aspect of communication (from messaging to design) should accurately reflect reality.

Make sustainability a business priority, not a side project

At Glen Dimplex, sustainability is more than just a tagline or a platitude—it's embedded in the company's mission. "Leading the transition to a sustainable world" is a mantra that the company lives by, but like many businesses, it is still working out the 'how'.

Sustainability doesn't naturally have a home in traditional business structures, but for Amy, it's a vital part of her role as head of marketing.

"If I have to tell the story behind this, I want to know, I want to understand, and I want to be able to verify where this information is coming from and where those statements are coming from so that I can wholeheartedly stand behind it and craft the best message to go to market." Amy Barry, Head of Marketing at Glen Dimplex.

Amy shared that Glen Dimplex's approach to sustainability is about more than just checking boxes. It's about making meaningful changes that have a real impact, with the verification process being crucial not just for marketing but for the entire business.

For example, Amy noted that some of the company's sustainability initiatives, such as utilising solar power at manufacturing plants and moving towards more recycled waste, have become points of differentiation in the market.

The future of data in marketing and packaging sustainability

As the role of sustainability continues to evolve, data will become even more crucial. Amy anticipates that while personalisation in marketing has been a focus in recent years, the future will likely see a shift towards broader, more action-oriented insights.

This is particularly true as businesses accumulate vast amounts of first-party data in an increasingly privacy-conscious world.

The next big challenge for companies like Glen Dimplex is ensuring that all this data is usable. "It's really about building those actionable insights from the data," Amy said. Innovations in digital channels and AI will continue to transform how companies collect and use data, but ensuring that this data is properly managed and integrated will be key.

Incremental progress over perfection

One of the biggest lessons from Amy's experience is that sustainability, much like digital transformation, is an ongoing process.

While it's tempting to wait until every aspect of a business is perfectly aligned with sustainability goals, 

Amy advocates for incremental progress.

"Progress, not perfection" is the mantra at Glen Dimplex, and it's a lesson that we would all do well to adopt.

As companies face increasing pressure from regulators, consumers, and investors to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, data will play a pivotal role in responsible storytelling.

But as Amy Barry's experience shows, it's not just about collecting data—it's about organising it, verifying it, and using it to drive real, measurable impact.