Speakerprofile - Circular Packaging Association Sara Jackson
Sara Jackson, Circular Packaging Association
Sara Jackson
Technical Director
Circular Packaging Association

Sara Jackson, a dual national of the UK and South Africa, has worked in various roles for Nestlé SA for 3 decades, 2 of which were based in the GCC. Her experience includes senior business and executive leadership roles in regions across Africa, Middle East, and Asia. During this time, she was instrumental in leading and supporting greenfield projects including establishing manufacturing facilities in new markets, business restructuring, new market entries, and the integration of a major acquisition.

On leaving the corporate world in 2019, Sara established her own consultancy, Green Ethics FZ LLC. She was contracted by the Multi National Companies Business Group to manage the CIRCLE Coalition, a multi-sectoral, public-private partnership, focused on developing a closed-loop economic model for recycling post-consumer packaging waste. The CIRCLE Coalition, under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, sponsored a proof-of-concept pilot study on the barriers and enablers of the circular economy for packaging in Abu Dhabi. Many of the recommendations of the study, were subsequently adopted as policy initiatives by the Circular Economy Council’s Policy Committee.

In November 2022, the CIRCLE Coalition was licensed under the Dubai Chambers as the Circular Packaging Association. Sara was then appointed as the Technical Director of the CPA. The Circular Packaging Association has been involved with several national initiatives including: the Policy Committee of the Circular Economy Council, with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, on Extended Producer Responsibility, and the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technologies to define regulations and standards to support the development of the Circular Economy in the UAE.

In Saudi Arabia, as Technical Advisor, Sara has supported the establishment and work of the National Circular Packaging Committee, under the Federation of Saudi Chambers and is engaged in developing initiatives between the National Centre of Waste Management and leading Saudi industry players.

Sara is a qualified ORSC practitioner and has completed the Certificate Courses in Circular Economy from the Technical University of Delft and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.