kp and me: Alan Richards

Alan Richards: Chief Operating Officer and Head of Corporate Sustainability

Alan Richards is Chief Operating Officer and Head of Corporate Sustainability at kp. He sits on the executive leadership team and works hand in hand with subject matter experts across the business to push the organisation to be more sustainable in every sense of the word.

What do you do at kp?

I’m Chief Operating Officer and Head of Corporate Sustainability here at kp. It is a role that brings together my interests and passions; ultimately, I’m responsible for continuously making our operations more sustainable.

I live in Wales, UK, and split my time between our London office, my home office, and travelling to our sites around the world.

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I also enjoy seeing people thrive and believe kp is a place where you can do that. It is great to see people moving along their career paths, taking on new roles and developing their skills as they go.

Alan with Aida (middle) and Ethan (right) at the Sustainability Live event

How long have you worked at kp for?

I’ve been at kp for six years now and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. We’re a multinational organisation, so there are always new challenges and opportunities which I like.

What is the best thing about your team?

I always feel as if I’m part of three teams. First and foremost, I see us as one big kp team. I’m passionate about the role everyone here can play in our success; we’re a determined bunch, and I’m constantly amazed by the skills and innovation within the organisation.

Then there's the operations and sustainability function where I work with my direct reports, and their teams, who are all subject matter experts in their own right. I love seeing how they react to new challenges and find solutions that make kp more efficient and future ready.

And last but not least, I’m part of the management team. We support and challenge each other to ensure kp remains relevant and resilient, and I enjoy working with this group of people to set the direction for our business.

What excites you about your job?

Where should I start? I basically think my job is really cool. I am working at a leading packaging company with fabulous people, and we spend every day refining our operations, and developing innovative solutions for our customers, with sustainability front of mind to minimise our impact on the world around us.

After some six years as Chief Operating Officer, I was excited to expand my remit to lead sustainability which has allowed me to bring hands-on operational experience to the role. I inherited a robust strategy and an outstanding team, and we’ve continued to make good progress against our three strategic objectives: Close the Loop, Work Smarter and Act Responsibly. We’re busy doing lots of things, but I’m really proud that we recently achieved zero waste to landfill across our entire global footprint, wherever it was legally possible to do so.

I also enjoy seeing people thrive and believe kp is a place where you can do that. It is great to see people moving along their career paths, taking on new roles and developing their skills as they go.

After some six years as Chief Operating Officer, I was excited to expand my remit to lead sustainability which has allowed me to bring hands-on operational experience to the role. I inherited a robust strategy and an outstanding team, and we’ve continued to make good progress against our three strategic objectives: Close the Loop, Work Smarter and Act Responsibly. We’re busy doing lots of things, but I’m really proud that we recently achieved zero waste to landfill across our entire global footprint, wherever it was legally possible to do so.

Alan Richards

Chief Operating Officer and Head of Corporate Sustainability

Have you had to take on new challenges at kp?

Every day offers a new challenge (or two!) at kp. With a role like mine with such a broad remit, with lots of interdependencies, I’m constantly talking to different teams and looking at how we can support each other. These conversations and insights help me communicate a clear direction for my teams and alongside the management team, to the wider organisation, as we build kp’s future.

Have you been inspired by any of your colleagues?

I’ll have to give a shout-out to some of my direct reports here; Aida Cierco and Ethan O’Brien and Philippe Freund. They work tirelessly to drive improvements in sustainability and safety, regularly pushing our management team’s thinking and that of the wider industry, to demonstrate that kp can lead in our competitive set, but that it can continually make improvements too.

Each time I visit a site, I also meet someone else who makes me get excited about kp’s future. One person who stands out is Donald ‘Duck’ Branham. He’s been at kp for about 40 years and runs a calendar line in Gordonsville. I’ve seen him share his knowledge to support and develop colleagues' skills, and you can tell here's a guy who's been with us for decades, is still passionate about it, and is still one of the best in the business. Brilliant.

I’m also inspired by those who give us their own time to lead our employee resource networks (ERNs). Over the past year, I have been honoured to be an executive sponsor for kp’s VOICED ERN which focuses on ethnic equity. Our ERN’s not only advocate causes that matter to society and are vital to creating a work environment where everyone can be themselves, but they champion our people each and every day.

What’s next?

I want to ensure everyone working at kp is proud of what they do. Proud of their contribution, and proud to be part of a packaging company leading on sustainability. I can already see this starting to happen, and I can often be found at a weekend telling my friends about exciting innovations at kp or our latest environmental accreditation!
I’ve enjoyed working with our teams to review the progress kp has made against existing sustainability targets and now our 2023 Sustainability Report is live, we are starting to review and update our goals for the future.

What do you get up to outside of work?

As a father of six, I often spend a lot of my free time with my family. Someone always needs a lift somewhere or help with homework. And then there are Doris, Elvis and Jeffrey – our three Great Danes – and all the chickens and geese that need looking after.
When I do get a moment to myself, I’m a bit of a fan of wild swimming. It is a great way to reduce stress and muscle soreness, and the icy cold waters in Wales certainly help keep me alert. I’ve also been known to take part in Ironman competitions. And not many people know this, but I love tattoos; I got my first one many years ago and can’t seem to stop.