Spotlight on Sigrid Gerold, Head of Group Product Safety and Quality at MM Group

Your path into the industry

• Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your current role?

My name is Sigrid Gerold, and my background is quite scientific – I hold a PhD in Chemistry. I’ve spent over 15 years in the packaging industry, primarily focusing on regulatory affairs, and have been with the paper industry for the last three and a half years. Currently, my position is MM Group’s Head of Group Product Safety and Quality.

Together with my fantastic team, I’m responsible for the chemical evaluation of all the raw materials we use, as well as providing expert answers to complex regulatory questions concerning food and product safety. We also establish hygiene and quality guidelines and conduct the necessary audits across MM Group sites. A significant part of my role is representing the company in several key national and European committees that shape the future of the paper and cartonboard industry.

• What initially sparked your interest in the sustainable packaging and cartonboard industry?

My career initially began in lacquer development for a company producing flexible packaging for the food and pharmaceutical sectors. I quickly realised how extensive the legal requirements are for products that come into contact with food. This regulatory work – while typically seen as an uncommon focus – I happily became the dedicated person for it. It was a massive exercise in self-study and learning by doing.

Later in my career, I incorporated quality management into my expertise, even consolidating this knowledge during a period in the automotive industry. However, my passion always lay in packaging. When the opportunity arose to join the MM Group and begin working in the sustainable and future-focused paper industry, I seized it without a second thought. It was the perfect match for my regulatory expertise within a truly circular sector.

• What has been the most significant milestone or experience that has shaped your career to date?

Rather than a single, significant milestone, what has been most rewarding and shaped my career is the day-to-day business itself. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities to learn and develop my knowledge. This continuous growth, driven by the evolving industry and regulatory landscape, is what I enjoy the most.

• How has the industry changed since you first started, and what excites you most about its future?

When I first started in the packaging industry, legal requirements were only just beginning to emerge, and hardly anyone was seriously discussing sustainability issues—in fact, those who did were often ridiculed. Today, sustainability is not just a trend; it dominates and influences almost every single decision we make.

What excites me most about the future is the industry’s potential. Cartonboard and fibre products offer versatile, sustainable packaging solutions with a well-established recycling system. This offers virtually unlimited potential for innovation, meaning there will always be something new and interesting for my team and me to work on.

Daily impact

• What does a typical day in your current role look like?

A typical day is a mix of lots of activities. It involves a lot of Teams meetings, diligently studying new regulatory documents, and writing emails to address internal and external queries. And, of course, squeezing in a quick coffee break to catch-up with my brilliant team in between all the focused work!

• Can you describe a specific project or initiative you’ve worked on recently that you found particularly exciting or innovative?

Recently, I was asked by paper industry committees to present our industry to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). This involved explaining our complex production processes and clearly demonstrating the regulatory challenges we face concerning food safety regulations. It was a fantastic opportunity to represent the industry at a high level and ensure that key European regulators hear the voices and technical realities of the paper sector.

• How does your work directly contribute to the sustainable and environmental benefits of cartonboard packaging?

We ensure that only products which meet the most rigorous standards of safety and compliance are manufactured. This means we are constantly working to ensure our packaging has no negative impact on consumers or the environment. By guaranteeing product safety and regulatory compliance, we reinforce the trust that makes sustainable cartonboard a preferred choice.

• What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their career in this industry?

Never stop learning and be brave enough to seize the opportunities that come your way.

• What is the one reason why you are proud to work in the carton and carton board industry?

Cartonboard and fibre products are flexible, sustainable, and have a proven, established recycling system. They offer a vast potential for innovation, which ensures that my job is perpetually interesting and never gets boring!

Beyond your role

• What’s a skill or hobby you have outside of work that has surprisingly helped you in your role?

I really enjoy doing puzzling and guessing games. I often tell people that my job is essentially a complex version of playing one of these games! Through careful consideration, elimination of possibilities and making assumptions, you eventually arrive at a solution.

I also love being in the mountains, especially for skiing. It helps me switch off and gain some distance, so that I can then see problems at work from a completely different perspective.

• What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

It’s actually two platitudes that are surprisingly true and incredibly helpful: ‘Never stop learning’ and ‘Remember that others are only human, too.’ The first keeps you in the know, and the second helps you manage expectations, build effective teams, and navigate the human element of every regulatory challenge.

• What is the one thing you wish more people knew about the carton and cartonboard industry?

I wish more people knew that they can dispose of an empty, but not greasy, pizza box in the paper waste collection with no feelings of guilt! That said, please be sure to keep the thermal paper receipts out of paper-only waste – they belong in the regular rubbish.