ATLANTA (News release) -- Veritiv Operating Company, a leader in innovative and sustainable specialty packaging, facility, and print solutions, announced it was ranked No. 6 in the Design category on Fast Company's 2026 World's Most Innovative Companies list, recognizing organizations that are redefining industries through creativity, impact, and innovation.
Veritiv joins a distinguished group of innovators recognized this year, including Starbucks, Canva, Netflix, and Nike, underscoring the company's growing role in shaping the future of packaging through design-led innovation.
Powered by Innovation, Veritiv is redefining the role of packaging by bringing together design, engineering, material science, data intelligence, and supply chain expertise to help customers build smarter, more sustainable packaging systems.
"At Veritiv, innovation isn't something we talk about. It's how we show up for customers every day," said Sal Abbate, CEO of Veritiv. "This recognition reflects the work our teams are doing across the company as we help customers redesign packaging systems, reduce cost, improve performance, and advance sustainability."
Advancing Innovation from Concept to Commercialization
At the center of Veritiv's innovation strategy is the Sustainable Design Lab (SDL), where design, engineering, and material science come together to accelerate the future of packaging. Through the SDL, Veritiv sources, tests, and incubates emerging packaging materials and technologies from around the world, while also developing proprietary solutions and unique intellectual property.
The SDL provides a fully integrated platform to design, test, and scale packaging solutions, combining structural design, rapid prototyping, ISTA-certified testing, and advanced analytics. Proprietary tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and EcoScore® modeling enable customers to evaluate performance, environmental impact, and cost early in the design process when the majority of a package's impact is determined.
This approach helps customers move faster from concept to commercialization while making more informed, data-driven decisions that balance performance, sustainability, and cost.
"We believe the future of packaging will be shaped at the intersection of design, performance, and sustainability," said Stephanie Mayerle, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at Veritiv. "Our teams are working closely with customers to bring new ideas to life and turn emerging technologies into scalable solutions."
Built to Solve What Customers Care About Most
Veritiv's value-added service model helps customers accelerate innovation and bring scalable packaging solutions to market, aligned with business priorities and sustainability goals.
By combining design expertise with operational scale, Veritiv helps customers:
- Reduce total packaging costs
- Improve performance and protection
- Advance sustainability and circularity goals
- Navigate evolving regulatory requirements
- Accelerate innovation timelines
"This recognition reflects how we approach innovation every day," said Abbate. "We design packaging that balances sustainability with performance - solving for both form and function - while protecting our customers' products from the real-world challenges of today's supply chain."
Positioned for the Future
Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list recognizes organizations shaping the future of their industries. Veritiv's inclusion reflects continued investment in innovation, sustainability, and scalable design solutions that deliver measurable impact.
"Great packaging does more than protect what's inside," Abbate added. "It safeguards our customers' most valuable cargo while bringing their brands to life - all while reducing environmental impact and improving performance at scale."
