Finding innovative ways to collaborate and communicate the circular economy is critical to tackling the plastic problem, says Rebecca Lovelady, Social Impact and Sustainability Manager, Danone UK & Ireland.
In our industry we know that packaging is vital to providing people around the world with nutritious, high-quality food and drinks. But of course, this shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment. To ensure a world where we use plastic responsibly, systemic change and collective action is needed at all levels.
Finding innovative, collaborative ways to engage consumers on the concept of circularity is key. As a food and drink producer, we feel we have a responsibility to not just ensure our products are recyclable, but also to work with others across the industry to educate and support consumers to recycle and to trial innovative solutions.
Tackling the global challenge of plastic waste requires commitment, collaboration and coordination from everyone including manufacturers like ourselves, retailers, industry bodies, policymakers, and consumers.
This is necessary to harness the full potential of plastic as a useful packaging material, maximising its value, while ensuring it doesn’t negatively impact the environment or contribute to environmental issues.
Tackling the global challenge of plastic waste requires commitment, collaboration and coordination from everyone including manufacturers like ourselves, retailers, industry bodies, policymakers, and consumers.
At Danone, we have committed to the UK’s Plastics Pact working together across the industry with the aim of creating a circular economy for plastics, capturing their value by keeping them in the economy and out of the natural environment.
Innovation and creativity
At Danone, our new initiative with environmental organisation Hubbub and Bunzl UK & Ireland aims to do just that, harnessing the power of collaboration alongside innovation and creativity.
Together we’ve launched a new boat – called the Seacycler (pictured top) – made from 99 percent recycled plastic, which will be permanently based in Bristol Harbour to provide a fun and hands-on way for people to engage with sustainability.
The boat, only the sixth of its kind in the world, has been donated to charity Sustainable Hive and will take local people out on ‘plastic fishing’ trips to collect waste from the waterways, raise awareness of the issues of litter and pollution, and educate the public on the importance of recycling.
To create long lasting change, we need to leverage the power of collaboration and creativity to test and learn.
With each trip, schoolchildren and employees at local workplaces will remove plastic debris from Bristol Harbour, which will then go towards making further boats with the same aim.
As well as funding the boat alongside Bunzl UK & Ireland, we’re thrilled to have contributed practically to its development; some of the plastic used to create it was repurposed from packaging recycled by employees at Danone’s UK offices.
To create long lasting change, we need to leverage the power of collaboration and creativity to test and learn.
Hubbub’s ongoing #InTheLoop campaign is another great example of this in action. The campaign encourages on-the-go recycling by making it easy for people to recycle plastic and glass bottles, cans and coffee cups when out and about with innovative bins and creative communications. Danone supported the Leeds, Swansea and Edinburgh trials whilst recently funding a roll out to Merton during the Championships, Wimbledon.
Test and adapt
Cross-industry collaboration and sharing insights and learnings is vital, and Hubbub’s test and adapt approach has helped to create data which can be distributed across industry and government to create a recognised on-the-go recycling system.
In addition, a current Climate Campaign in Manchester called #InOurNature that we’re also supporting alongside industry partners, is trialling practical ways of making it easier for residents and communities to take positive action on climate change by providing practical tips, hacks and advice for the city’s residents.
we’re keen to work with partners to trial and learn innovative initiatives that inspire and excite our consumers, stakeholders, and colleagues alike.
We know going it alone is not the way to solve the intrinsic problems, we’re keen to work with partners to trial and learn innovative initiatives that inspire and excite our consumers, stakeholders, and colleagues alike.
The new milestone report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underscores the need for immediate action to avoid the point of irreversible climate damage. The report makes clear that human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways.
With the UK preparing to host COP26, we must seize the opportunity and focus on collaboration for positive change. If we recognise the power of partnerships between industry, coalitions, and funding partners, as well as expert creative communicators such as Hubbub and innovative charities including Sustainable Hive, we can help to inspire positive behaviour and action.
There is no time to lose. The actions we all take today must help ensure a healthy and thriving environment both now and for future generations.
We must continue to find ways to ensure that the way we make, consume, and dispose of materials enable us to help preserve our precious planet.