In our RIGKinquiered series, this episode gives you another exclusive insight into the work of our dedicated sales team. Today we introduce Ingrid Krieger, our experienced sales employee at RIGK. She reports on her daily work, the current challenges in the packaging industry and her personal conviction to advance the circular economy.

Responsibility in sales: legal compliance and tailor-made solutions

• Ingrid, could you give us an insight into your role in the sales team at RIGK? What tasks and responsibilities are within your area of ​​responsibility?

Ingrid: First and foremost, I advise companies on the legally compliant implementation of packaging law, currently in accordance with Section 15 of the Packaging Act. I explain what obligations exist and how they can be specifically implemented. My focus is on our industrial systems RIGK, RIGK-G and PICKUP as well as the agricultural system VerenA. Together with interested parties, I find the right solution that best reflects and supports their individual operational requirements. The special thing about my job is the flexibility - especially now that companies are facing additional requirements due to new regulations such as the upcoming EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR). These changes influence our strategies and often require innovative approaches that we develop together with potential licensees.

Inspiration in everyday life: enthusiasm for sustainable solutions

• What excites you most about your position in sales at RIGK? Are there specific aspects of your work that inspire you on a daily basis?

Ingrid: What fascinates me most is exchanging ideas with people and developing suitable business solutions in the area of ​​circular economy. Every consultation is a new puzzle that I put together with the client, and that is what makes my work so exciting and inspires me every day. I am also personally a firm believer in the idea of ​​sustainable action. That's why our goal of efficiently taking back packaging together with our customers and recycling it in an environmentally friendly way is particularly important to me.

Persuasiveness in sales: expertise and personal conviction

• Convincing potential customers is a central task in sales. Which skills and approaches do you see as particularly important in order to convince companies of RIGK's sustainable packaging return solutions?

Ingrid: First of all, it is important to be able to provide legally compliant and economically sound advice. You have to be able to empathize with the situation and the specific processes of the respective company. Solid specialist knowledge is therefore the be-all and end-all. But it is also particularly important to be convinced of the quality of our services - because this is the only way you can pass on this conviction. RIGK has been on the market for over 30 years and, through flat hierarchies and close cooperation with customers and service providers, offers flexible, tailor-made solutions that I am personally very convinced of. In times when the circular economy and resource-saving management are becoming increasingly important, this adaptability is, in my opinion, particularly crucial.

Sustainability as a corporate value: The influence on daily work

• How do you assess the importance of sustainability in today's business world? What influence does this have on your daily work in sales?

Ingrid: In my opinion, sustainability is no longer just a trend in today's world, but rather essential, and companies have a role model function in this regard. It's primarily about resource conservation and environmental protection. Politicians are also responding to this in an increasingly comprehensive manner, such as with the recently adopted draft of the National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) at the federal level or the upcoming PPWR at the EU level. New standards are being set that challenge us in the industry, but also drive us to develop innovative and sustainable solutions.

Successes in sales: VerenA-SYSTEM as a personal highlight

• Is there a special project or success in sales at RIGK that you are particularly proud of? A moment that reflects your work and RIGK’s mission?

Ingrid: I am particularly proud of the structure of the VerenA SYSTEM. Here I had the opportunity to fully utilize all of my experience. VerenA quickly established itself and is now a central hub for the environmentally friendly recycling of packaging materials in the agricultural sector. The fact that we will be accepting additional factions in 2025 shows how flexible and future-oriented this system is. This fits perfectly with our corporate philosophy and my personal demands on sales work - not just to achieve number-based goals, but to actively shape the future.

Challenges and trends: digitalization and legal innovations

• What challenges do you see in the area of ​​sales for sustainable packaging return systems, and how do you deal with them?

Ingrid: In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges, but also a clear trend, is digitalization. Information must be available digitally at all times, be it through a meaningful online presence, video conferences or the integration of AI. At the same time, personal contact remains indispensable in the B2B sector, because complex issues require exchange. The “new customer” is increasingly finding out more online before deciding whether a provider is suitable for them. Therefore, it is crucial to be visible, accessible and approachable.

Personal background: Passion for sustainability

• You have already gained some experience in your career. Could you tell us something about your personal career and professional background? What personal beliefs and values ​​do you have and how are they reflected in your daily work at RIGK?

Ingrid: As a graduate in business administration with a focus on marketing and sales, I have worked in various industries - from industrial semi-finished products in the precious metals sector to IT and self-employment. I progressed from marketing to customer service to sales before moving into the world of return systems in 2008.

What fascinates me about this industry are the constantly changing challenges and the fundamental possibilities of recycling, which often remain hidden to an outsider. In the summer of 2020, I took the step of taking back and recycling plastic at RIGK through a personal contact and have been very happy here ever since.

As I said, authenticity and honest sustainability are particularly important to me, and I fully support the service that I sell at RIGK. It makes my business heart beat faster to act sustainably and at the same time support companies in doing so - this closes the circle, not only with plastic packaging, but also for me personally.

Balance between work and leisure: gardening and dancing as a balance

• Work is important, but we all need time off. How do you find the balance between your demanding work in sales and your personal hobbies and interests?

Ingrid: I love working in my garden. It is the best fitness and mental training I can imagine. There are always surprises, and although some things are repeated, it remains varied. I also rediscovered dancing with my husband and we signed up for a dance school again at the beginning of the year. Both are a wonderful balance to work and bring us a lot of joy in addition to the occasional sore muscle.

Final Thoughts: The Future of the Circular Economy

• Finally, could you share with us some thoughts that best summarize RIGK's mission and your role in sales?

Ingrid: The first thought that comes to my mind is: “Let’s do it.” Let’s shape the future meaningfully by further promoting the circular economy. If everyone involved - from the distributor to the recycler to the end customer - works together, we can effectively collect, sort and recycle used packaging and bring the secondary raw material obtained back into the product cycle. In this way, we create sustainability at all levels: for RIGK, for the recyclers, for the companies, for the end consumers, for society as a whole and ultimately for the environment. From my point of view, this is a very sensible task and I am fully committed to it. In my opinion, there is no need to say more about this, because that is our mission at RIGK and I am happy to be actively involved in it.