Plastic Credits 101: A Guide to Plastic Claims
With more and more companies jumping aboard the sustainability boat, it can be difficult to differentiate who is actually making a positive impact. There are many fantastic companies out there doing their part to create a more sustainable future and effectively communicating it. There are also companies taking advantage of the sustainability hype to gain a competitive advantage with a fantastic marketing and communications campaign without actually following through on their commitments. And there is a huge grey area of companies that are doing their best to positively impact the environment and people, but perhaps are not communicating their efforts and their actions in the right way.
But why is it so important to communicate your plastic reduction efforts?
Well, for one, it helps to build trust with consumers. Consumers today are more aware and informed about environmental and social issues, and they want to know that the companies they support are doing their part to address these issues. By communicating a company’s plastic reduction efforts, companies can show that they are committed to making a positive impact and building a better future. This can also facilitate consumers making informed choices, and support through responsible consumption. Moreover, proper communication is also important for employees and suppliers. By sharing your plastic reduction goals and achievements, companies can create a more positive work culture and engage employees and suppliers to contribute positively to solving the plastic crisis. It ensures alignment across the organisation, promoting sustainability habits and inspiring the mindset change required for a new plastics economy.
How can you communicate it in the right way?
Well the purpose of the guide is quite literally to guide you through this process. The most important thing you need to know is that there are lots and lots of plastic stewardship claims, including ‘plastic neutral’, ‘net-zero plastics’, ‘net-zero plastic leakage’- I know, I know, people are getting quite creative in how they label their products, services or operations. But you can’t quite just pick and choose which one suits you best, or rhyme with your company’s tag line.
You need to chose the one that actually reflects the work that you are doing in terms of managing, reducing and compensating for your plastic.
So, if you want to learn how to communicate your efforts in the right way, check out the Seven Clean Seas guides to plastic claims. We have compiled all the claims we have encountered over the years and how each one is defined. Then you can actually make an informed choice on which claim you can actually use in your communications.