Partnering with the Plastic Bank

Henkel has become the first major global fast-moving consumer goods company to partner with the Plastic Bank. At the presentation of the partnership ‏(from left): Shaun Frankson and David Katz, Founder of the Plastic Bank, Marie-Ève Schröder, Corporate Senior Vice President International Marketing in Henkel’s Beauty Care business unit and Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum, Head of Global Research and Development in Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care business unit.

The Plastic Bank creates a ladder of opportunity: People living in poverty can collect plastic waste from the local environment and bring it to a plastic collection center.

The materials are sorted and weighed, before collectors choose either a cash payment, items such as cooking fuel, or services like mobile phone charging or internet access.

Many communities in Haiti live without access to waste management infrastructure. This means waste – including plastic waste – enters small waterways. From there, it travels to the ocean.

By removing waste plastic from before it enters the ocean, the collectors make a valuable contribution to the environment.

In turn, the Plastic Bank helps to alleviate poverty by turning plastic waste into currency.

Henkel’s partnership with the Plastic Bank will enable the construction of new collection centers in Haiti.

These collection centers often serve as a community hub, attracting other activities and services such as markets or study centers.

Collectors are rewarded according to the weight of the plastic waste they collect

The rewards range from cash payments through to cooking fuel or access to mobile phone charging stations.

Together, Henkel and the Plastic Bank hope this new partnership will provide opportunities for people in poverty.