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COMMUNITY TRADE RECYCLED PLASTIC

At The Body Shop, we’re committed to tackling the plastic crisis differently. Discover how we’re fighting for people and the planet with Community Trade recycled plastic from Bengaluru, India. Our trade will help empower the waste pickers we support with access to more sanitary working conditions, a fair price and the respect and recognition they deserve.

Celebrating 5 Years of Transformative Change

The Body Shop and Plastics for Change are proud to celebrate 5 years of partnership, making milestones in plastic recycling, empowering waste collectors, and championing sustainability. Through our Community Fair Trade initiative, we've created a movement tackling global waste management challenges.

Together, we brighten lives and build stronger communities. You can make a difference by donating in multiples of ₹10. Your donation will help fund E-Tricycles for waste collectors, making their work safer and more efficient.

Donate Now

HOW MUCH OF A PROBLEM IS PLASTIC?

It’s no secret that plastic pollution has become a global crisis and the planet is drowning in plastic. It affects marine and ocean life, but it affects people too.

In India, almost a third of waste is uncollected. This has given rise to 1.5 million people known as ‘waste pickers’ who collect this waste in the informal sector. In Bengaluru, we’re working with an organisation who proudly call themselves the ‘Green Force’. They work with waste pickers who are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to clean up their city’s streets.

‘Waste pickers’, however, are mostly made up of ‘dalits’, formally known as ‘untouchables’, the lowest social group in India’s caste system. This means that they are vulnerable to discrimination and poor working conditions.

That’s why we want to do more than fight pollution. We want to drive social change and help to empower people too.

HOW DOES PLASTIC WASTE AFFECT PEOPLE?

3 billion people

3 BILLION PEOPLE

Over 3 billion people around the planet are living in countries without waste management – that’s almost half of the world’s population.

1.5 million waste pickers

1.5 MILLION WASTE PICKERS

India alone has 1.5 million ‘waste pickers’ working in the informal sector to clean up their streets and cities.

plastic prices are volatile

PLASTIC PRICES ARE VOLATILE

In 2015, the price waste pickers received for plastic they collected* dropped by 60%. The price has recently dropped even further.

waste pickers are vulnerable

WASTE PICKERS ARE VULNERABLE

‘Waste pickers’ are vulnerable to harassment by the police, constant displacement and no access to health and financial services. It’s time to empower, support and celebrate them.

*60% price drop data provided by Plastics For Change, based on their research.

MEET MANJULA

Manjula is a dedicated waste collector and has been a beneficiary of Plastics for Change for the past two years. Through our partnership, she gained access to an electric tricycle, which has significantly improved her ability to collect more waste each day, ultimately increasing her income.

Manjula’s work is not only about survival but also about creating a better future for her daughter, who is currently in school. With the stability and predictability of income, Manjula is committed to ensuring her daughter has the education that she herself never had, to pursue a brighter future.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO HELP?

HELP EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH COMMUNITY TRADE RECYCLED PLASTIC

At The Body Shop, we’re committed to tackling the plastic crisis differently.

Not using plastic is not the only answer. If used responsibly it can be sustainable, so we need to show love for the plastic that we do use.

An abundant resource of recyclable plastic already exists. That’s why we’ve started using Community Trade recycled plastic from Bengaluru, India.

This not only helps tackle the existing problem, it will also help to empower the waste pickers we support in Bengaluru with access to more sanitary working conditions, a fair price and the respect and recognition they deserve.

Left: Veerama

WHERE DO WE BUY OUR PLASTIC?

MEET OUR COMMUNITY TRADE PARTNERS, PLASTICS FOR CHANGE

Plastics for Change is on a mission to empower waste collectors in India. By connecting them to global supply chains, they create sustainable livelihoods while promoting fair trade practices. Their unique and transparent supply chain model transforms plastic waste into a valuable resource, benefiting communities and the environment.

With multiple facilities along the coastline of southern India, their main focus is improving the livelihoods of waste pickers so that they can boost their income and entrepreneurial skills. They are able to achieve this through holistic social additionality investments into the waste-picking communities.

MEET THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR PARTNERSHIP POSSIBLE

MEET ANNAMMA

Annamma was a waste picker since she was a child. Now she is a manager of a Dry Waste Collection Centre.

With the help of Plastics for Change and Hasiru Dala, Annamma received managerial training and now employs a number of people, including her husband.

Annamma’s daughter is attending a plastic engineering course. Annamma wants her daughter to stay in the waste management business.

PROJECT NARI: EMPOWERING WOMEN IN WASTE COLLECTION

Project NARI has transformed the lives of women waste collectors by providing essential support and opportunities for growth. Through an exclusive partnership with The Body SHop India, 100 women have been equipped with PPE kits, ensuring their safety as they continue their crucial work. Additionally, 500 waste collectors have received emergency income support during challenging times.

Some of the key achievements of Project NARI has been to -

  • Provide social identity to 50 waste collectors, allowing them to access rights and recognition that were previously out of reach.
  • Formalised 6 women into “plastic-preneurs,” empowering them to become entrepreneurs in the plastic recycling industry and lead their own ventures.

With Project NARI, women are not just surviving but thriving—building safer, more secure futures for themselves and their families.

CLIMATE CHANGE & COVID RELIEF FUND: SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS

In response to the dual challenges of climate change and the pandemic, they spearheaded the first-ever Climate Change Relief Fund. This initiative provided immediate financial aid to 500 waste collectors, offering INR 1,000 each to help cover essential expenses during the most critical times of the pandemic.

Beyond financial relief, the fund distributed essential Food and Nutrition kits to 720 individuals, ensuring access to vital resources. Plastics for Change team also provided mutual aid and emotional support to 350 individuals, fostering a sense of community and resilience amid the uncertainty.

Recognizing the importance of health equity, two vaccination drives were organised for 350 individuals, reducing vaccine disparities and helping to protect some of the most vulnerable in our society.

With the Climate Change & COVID Relief Fund, we continue to stand by those in need, offering comprehensive support to build stronger, healthier communities.

WHAT WILL WE DO WITH THE RECYCLED PLASTIC WE BUY?

We’ve started using our Community Trade recycled plastic in our 250ml Shampoo and Conditioner bottles.***

After our plastic is collected and sorted in waste segregation centres, it is cleaned, compressed into bales and transported to Europe where it is converted, rigorously cleaned and sterilised. The resultant resin is tested to food grade standards and is then converted into granules and recycled back into our bottles. In the future, we want to buy even more Community Trade recycled plastic from our partners so we can use it in more of our product packaging and strive to be even more sustainable.

We know we’ve got a long way to go, but don’t worry. This is just the start of our Community Trade partnership and our commitment to tackling the plastic crisis. Who knows what we can achieve together next?

***100% recycled plastic with 15% Community Trade recycled plastic, excluding our bottle caps.

PLASTIC RECYCLING IN THE UK

HOW DOES YOUR AREA MATCH UP?

We were interested in finding out how much plastic is recycled across the UK to show the positive difference that your recycling efforts are making to the plastic crisis. To find out we’ve taken some of our beloved UK landmarks and compared their weight to the weight of plastic items recycled regionally during 2017 – 2018, so you can make like for like comparisons with your own eyes and see why plastic recycling is so important.

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