Head & Shoulders has been awarded the United Nations Momentum for Change Lighthouse award 2017, for its efforts in tackling the global issue of beach plastic waste.
Waste mined from marine environments is notoriously difficult to re-use. However, by partnering with TerraCycle and Suez – experts in waste management and recycling - Head & Shoulders brought about the largest solution to ocean plastic to date*. And it’s all thanks to the support of thousands of volunteers; and hundreds of NGOs that collected beach plastic found on over 200 beaches across Europe. The result is a world-first in haircare, with a limited-edition Head & Shoulders recyclable bottle made from 25% beach plastic.
As a huge community effort with a spirit of problem solving at its heart, the Head & Shoulders Beach Bottle project has also inspired other brands to follow suit. For example, the UK’s #1 dish washing brand Fairy recently launched a recyclable bottle made with beach plastic.
Head & Shoulders is proud to be recognised for its efforts in positive environmental action. The Momentum for Change initiative, spearheaded by the UN Climate Change secretariat, shines a light on some of the most innovative examples of combatting climate change.
“We are humbled to receive this award from the United Nations together with our partners TerraCycle and SUEZ. It shines a light on scalable solutions to diverting waste from landfill and beaches. We are confident this project will continue inspiring other brands and industries to find solutions to the issue of plastic waste” Lisa Jennings, VP Head & Shoulders and Sustainability Hair Care explains.
Head & Shoulders commitment to sustainability won’t stop here, with plans for parent company P&G set to introduce 25% recycled plastic across 500 million bottles sold annually on its hair care brands.
*In terms of volume and % used in the package