Joining Forces for Comprehensive Action Against Plastic Waste

Last April, P&G announced Ambition 2030, a series of far-reaching sustainability goals that we intend to achieve by 2030. I said at the time that our efforts would include developing transformative partnerships to help stem the flow of plastic into the world’s oceans, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve taken another important step in following through on that commitment.

Earlier today in London, I announced that P&G will take a leading role in a new coordinated and sustained global effort to eliminate plastic waste in the environment. We are joining forces with nearly 30 major companies from across the plastics and consumer goods value chain to form the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the most comprehensive initiative of its kind. 

I have agreed to chair the Alliance because I’ve seen the negative impact of mismanaged plastic waste, and I believe deeply in the ability of a group of like-minded people to come together to solve challenging problems that can’t be solved by any one person. 

The not-for-profit Alliance is grounded in the belief that addressing plastic waste is everyone’s responsibility – and that the breadth and scale of the response should be as big as the challenge we collectively face. The Alliance’s comprehensive strategy addresses the two challenges at heart of the problem: inadequate management of plastic waste, particularly in areas like South and Southeast Asia, and obstacles to recycling and reusing plastic. For too long we’ve treated plastics as something disposable, with little or no value. The Alliance seeks to change that.

Alliance members have pledged to invest $1 billion, with the goal of raising a total of $1.5 billion over the next five years, to support solutions that reduce waste by improving our ability to recover, reuse and recycle plastics. Priority projects include infrastructure development to improve waste management; innovation in technologies that incentivize plastics recycling; education and engagement to reduce waste; and cleanup efforts, especially in waterways that carry plastic waste to the sea.

By capitalizing on the global reach and technical expertise of companies that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics, the Alliance will accelerate the transition to a circular economy for plastics. The Alliance brings together companies and organizations from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Arabian Gulf, and we are encouraging more companies to join this important effort.

The unique collaboration will also include the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), other environmental organizations, investors, governments, NGOs, community organizations and anyone who’s willing to help.

Together, we’ll work aggressively to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, while maintaining the benefits that plastics provide for health, hygiene and other aspects of daily life.

P&G will play an important role in meeting this challenge, both through our work with the Alliance and in pursuing our Ambition 2030 goals and related commitments.

Think about it in terms of P&G’s business. We serve about 5 billion consumers and we have operations in more than 70 countries. With our global reach, our understanding of the consumers we serve, and our innovation and supply chain capabilities, we have a unique ability to make a positive difference for our consumers, our society and our world. We can help protect our world’s natural resources—and we can do so while delighting consumers and growing our business. We can be force for good and a force for growth.

Our efforts to advance sustainability are driven by our brands, our innovations and our partnerships.

As I said, our brands touch the lives of 5 million consumers worldwide every day. This gives us the ability – and the responsibility – to build awareness, mobilize consumers and encourage sustainable behaviors. By 2030, all product packaging for our 20 leadership brands will be completely recyclable or reusable. We will also double our use of post-consumer recycled plastic resin (PCR) by 2020.

Our innovations fuel our success. P&G has thrived for more than 180 years by constantly innovating to develop superior products that enhance the lives of the people we serve. Our innovations are also improving the world around us. Innovation through P&G’s Head and Shoulders brand produced the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle, with 25% recycled beach plastic. Innovation has put P&G on the leading edge of PCR.

Our partnerships leverage our expertise and expand our ability to be a force for good. Our partnership with Circulate Capital, an investment firm that focuses on financing companies and projects that prevent ocean plastic, has given us opportunities to support organizations like the Ocean Conservancy, which seeks science-based solutions for healthy oceans.

I am proud of P&G’s progress in reducing plastic waste, and many other companies and organizations are also doing their part. But in discussions with others working on this problem, it became clear that problem of this magnitude demands collective action. I learned early in my career at P&G that none of us is smarter than all of us. Collectively, we can solve any challenge.

To solve this problem, we need to change the way people think about plastic to change behavior and business models. By reclaiming the value of plastic, by managing waste and finding new ways to recycle and reuse it, we can eliminate plastic waste. 

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste is another step in the right direction, and it will complement and build on the progress of others. I am convinced that this new, bold initiative can have a big impact in addressing a big challenge. I am eager to get started, and I will keep you posted on our progress.