P&G joins Circular Economy 100 to accelerate closed-loop transition

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is among four new corporate members of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100), the innovation platform launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate circular economy ambitions.


P&G, the owner of household brands such as Ariel, Gillette, and Head & Shoulders, recently unveiled its new Ambition 2030 strategy, which includes an industry-leading goal to ensure all packaging is 100% recyclable or reusable.

The company aims to achieve this target by launching sustainable innovations, such as the new Fairy washing up liquid, which will be packaged in bottles made completely from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. The world’s largest consumer products company has also pledged to source at least five billion litres of water from circular sources.

P&G joins the CE100 alongside paper and tissue product manufacturer Lucart, renewable biomaterials developer Du Pont Biomaterials and Dutch denim brand Mud Jeans. The latter member runs a circular business model which sees the company take back old jeans, and give them a second life through innovative recycling techniques.

Around in circles

Businesses have come under heightened pressure to adopt circular economy practices in recent times. Just last week, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) called for big-name fashion brands to disclose the full extent of their environmental and social impacts. In a letter to the chief executives of ten of Britain’s largest fashion retailers, including Primark, Next and Marks and Spencer (M&S),  chair Mary Creagh, has today (5 October) implored companies to contribute to the Committee’s call for evidence on the environmental impact of throwaway “fast fashion” in the UK.

Earlier this year, Gap, H&M, Nike and Burberry were among the major brands which announced they would lead a new Ellen MacArthur Foundation initiative that aims to help drive a circular fashion industry. The brands, joined by HSBC and Stella McCartney, have pledged through the Make Fashion Circular project to create business models which will keep garments in use, utilise materials which are renewable and find ways of recycling old clothes into new products.

George Ogleby

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