This paper explores the concept of packaging stewardship to establish methods that could be used formatively in the development of packaging stewardship programmes or in a post hoc fashion after their implementation. It argues that an independent set of values criteria for evaluation are important at this juncture because of the number of jurisdictions considering packaging stewardship programmes. Additional urgency is added by industry's tendency to promote sales of products through their participation in such programmes. A framework is developed that provides a pathway for future packaging programmesto converge on stewardship.The framework is developed around the notion of a steward, as explored by Lerner and Bookchin, and the principles proposed for the Canadian National Packaging Protocol. The frameworkis illustrated with examples from Germany, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Canada.