The devastating effects of plastic waste on our oceans is well known, but
the human element to the crisis is rarely discussed. Over three billion
people — almost half the planet’s population — live without formal waste
management. This has given rise to an informal waste-picking economy in
developing countries.
Some of the world’s most marginalized people pick untreated waste to try to
make a living. These waste pickers, many of them women, often live below the
poverty line, work in appalling conditions and are shunned by society. Yet
they form a critical line of defense in stopping plastic from entering our
rivers and oceans.
That’s why The Body Shop, in
partnership with Plastics For Change,
is launching its first Community Trade Recycled Plastic program — a bespoke
and independently verified fair trade program.
Despite the now-constant stream of innovations and strategies around
eliminating plastic
pollution,
walking away from plastic altogether is not the answer. If used responsibly
and given value, plastic can become sustainable. And The Body Shop wants to
use plastic recycling to help transform lives.
the exciting potential of cultivated, fermented and plant-based protein innovation
Join us as Aleph Farms, the Better Meat Co, the Good Food Institute and Plantible Foods discuss the latest advancements in cultivated, plant-based, and fermentation-derived proteins — and how incorporating alternative proteins can help brands significantly reduce environmental impacts, while conserving natural resources — Tuesday, Oct. 15 at SB'24 San Diego.
“Plastic recycling is a major source of income for the one percent of the
world’s most marginalized urban population, and we are incredibly excited to
partner with The Body Shop and other partners to help these groups get the
financial and social benefits they deserve. This is the world’s first ever
program of verified Fair Trade plastic collection for use in recycling.”
Andrew Almack, CEO of Plastics for Change.
In 2016, on the company’s 40th anniversary, The Body Shop launched a bold
commitment to become the world’s most ethical and sustainable global
business,
along with a pioneering global sustainability strategy called Enrich Not
Exploit™ — an extensive program of
global activity and measurable 2020 targets that touches all areas of the
business. The program is comprised of three pillars — enriching its
products, the planet and people; one component of the latter
involved doubling its Community Trade program from 19 to 40 ingredients and
helping to enrich the communities that produce them. Launching today, ahead of
World Fair Trade Day (May 11), this is the
company’s commitment to tackling the plastic crisis differently.
Community Trade recycled plastic from Bengaluru, India
India alone has 1.5 million waste pickers who collect and sort over
6,000 tons of plastic every day that would otherwise pollute our rivers and
oceans. The majority of India’s waste pickers are dalits, previously known
as ‘untouchables.’ This means that they have virtually no visibility in
society and have limited rights; they are vulnerable to discrimination, poor
living and working conditions, and an unpredictable payment system for the
plastic they collect.
“I have been picking waste for around 30 years, since I was a child,” says
Anamma, former waste picker and current
Manager of the Dry Waste Collection Centre in Bengaluru. “This is a really
tough and physically demanding industry to be in. Waste pickers face all
kinds of hardships, including harassment, late payments and health issues.
However, through waste picking I have managed to raise a family and send my
children to college. I am really proud of what I do. I believe we play a
very important role in keeping cities clean and helping to recycle the huge
amounts of plastic waste that society produces.”
Some of the first shampoo bottles made with Community Trade recycled plastic | Images credit: The Body Shop
An abundance of recyclable plastic already exists. In partnership with
Plastics for Change, The Body Shop has started using Community Trade
recycled plastic in its 250ml haircare bottles, including its bestselling
Shea Butter and Ginger Shampoos, with one bottle sold every four
seconds. The bottles contain 100 percent recycled plastic (excluding the
bottle caps). Of that, 15 percent will be Community Trade recycled plastic —
the remainder is recycled plastic from European sources. The Body Shop will
increase the amount of Community Trade Recycled plastic over time. Working
with a startup company and small waste-picker communities means starting small and scaling
up in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Lee Mann, global community trade manager for The Body Shop, says: “As a
company, we’ve always had the conviction to stand up for our principles when
it comes to helping empower people, especially women, while protecting our
planet. Our new partnership with Plastics for Change and our other partners
will not only help support waste pickers but also champion plastic as a
valuable renewable resource when used responsibly.”
In its first year, The Body Shop will purchase 250 tons of Community Trade
recycled plastic to use in nearly three million 250ml hair care bottles by
the end of 2019. This marks the start of a wider ambition, which is to
introduce Community Trade Recycled plastic across all PET plastic used by
The Body Shop within three years. Over the course of three years, the
program will scale up to purchasing over 900 tons of Community Trade
Recycled Plastic and help empower up to 2,500 waste pickers in Bengaluru,
who will receive a fair price for their work, a predictable income and
access to better working conditions. They will also get help in accessing
services such as education, financial loans and healthcare
services, and the respect and recognition they deserve.
The Body Shop and Plastics for Change will work alongside local partners
such as Hasiru Dala, a non- governmental
organization that fights for waste picker rights; and Hasiru Dala
Innovations, a social enterprise dedicated to creating essential
employment opportunities for waste pickers.
“We set up Hasiru Dala and Hasiru Dala Innovations with the goal of giving
waste pickers a formal identity in Bengaluru, to enable them to fight for
their rights and a fair place in society,” says Nalini Shekar, co-
founder and executive director for Hasiru Dala. “Our new partnership with
The Body Shop and Plastics for Change is another huge leap in recognizing
the relentless work our waste pickers carry out each day, despite being
faced with so many challenges.”
Plastics For
Change has
developed a mobile platform that connects waste-pickers to global markets and
ensures a consistent supply of high quality recycled plastic for brands,
ultimately bettering the lives of the urban poor while transitioning the
industry towards a circular economy. The tech startup is one of the many
innovative teams solving global issues through MIT
Solve.
“We are proud to support Plastics for Change, a Work of the Future Solver
team working to ensure fair wages and safer working conditions for the 1.5
million waste pickers in India,” said Alex Amouyel, Executive Director with
MIT Solve. “As a mobile platform bolstering transparency and accountability
across the recycled plastics supply chain, its partnership with The Body Shop
has the potential to truly tackle the pollution and poverty crisis in India —
and set a global standard on impactful, cross-sector sustainability
partnerships.”
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published May 8, 2019 8pm EDT / 5pm PDT / 1am BST / 2am CEST