As global attention turns increasingly toward sustainability, the beauty and consumer goods industries are grappling with the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste. One of the most pressing concerns is how to shift from a linear "take, make, dispose" approach to a circular economy that addresses both the environmental and social costs of waste. Amidst this landscape, The Body Shop and Plastics for Change have emerged as pioneers, demonstrating how businesses can play a pivotal role in tackling plastic pollution while uplifting marginalized communities.
Since 2019, The Body Shop has partnered with Plastics for Change, an innovative social enterprise based in India, to ethically source recycled plastic for their packaging. To date, The Body Shop has purchased over 2,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste—equivalent to 100 million bottles—helping to reshape the narrative around plastic recycling and sustainability.
This collaboration not only aims to reduce plastic waste but has also transformed the lives of over 2,000 waste collectors, many of whom are women, by providing fair wages, improved working conditions, and pathways out of poverty.
As the partnership marks its five-year milestone, we explore the journey of these two organizations working hand-in-hand to create social and environmental impact. This conversation with Shriti Malhotra, Group CEO of Quest Retail - The Body Shop India, and Andrew Almack, Founder/ CEO of Plastics for Change, offers insights into how this collaboration is reshaping the beauty industry’s approach to sustainability and ethical trade, making it a model for meaningful, responsible business in today’s world.
Read the full interview below to unlock the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change.
Q&A
Q. What was the idea behind The Body Shop's decision to partner with Plastics for Change in 2019? How does this collaboration reflect your brand values?
Shriti Malhotra (SM): At The Body Shop, sustainability isn’t just a goal—it’s at the core of who we are. We believe businesses should lead the way in addressing social and environmental challenges. In 2019, The Body Shop was the launch partner for innovative start-up company Plastics for Change, now the world’s largest source of fairly traded verified recycled plastic.
In 2019, The Body Shop was the 1st global brand partner of Plastics for Change (PFC), a truly innovative green-tech start-up, based in Bengaluru which is now the world’s largest source of fairly traded verified recycled plastic. When starting this partnership, our global teams were incredibly driven to support PFC’s mission to convert waste plastic into a resource that not only addressed climate change and plastic pollution, but also supported the plastic waste pickers with a trading platform, improved income opportunities, financial inclusion and societal recognition.
Globally, The Body Shop is now buying recycled plastic, collected by waste collectors in South India, in a number of PFC centres incorporating it into The Body Shop’s global packaging after thorough cleaning and converting to recycled granules. Through this collaboration, we are supporting a network of over 500 recycling stakeholders, benefiting more than 2,500 waste collectors, providing them with a fair price for waste material and improved livelihood opportunities.
The Body Shop partnership with PFC is a wonderful example of how working together with local communities can create a ripple effect of positive change. We're proud to be part of a grassroots movement, starting from India that's making a tangible impact on our planet and communities which truly need meaningful support.
Q. How has the partnership with Plastics for Change evolved over the past five years, and what have been the key milestones achieved during this time?
SM: Our partnership with PFC has evolved significantly over the past five years, growing from a small-scale initiative to a major force in tackling plastic waste and promoting sustainable practices.
The Body Shop started by integrating PFC material into one product line (shampoos), which has now expanded to 14 product lines, including all PET bottles and jars. This expansion covers The Body Shop body and hair care products, as well as some skincare products.
The scale of The Body Shop plastic collection has increased considerably as well. Since 2019, The Body Shop has purchased over 2,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste from India, equivalent to over 100 million bottles. Annual purchases have grown from 250 metric tonnes in 2019 to 617 metric tonnes in 2022. This growth reflects The Body Shop’s increasing commitment to the program and its effectiveness.
Geographically, PFC has expanded its operations from just Bengaluru to eight additional cities along the Indian coastline, diverting plastic away from the ocean. This expansion has increased the program's impact and reach.
As of 2024, we are supporting PFC to become direct-to-market suppliers for rPET granules, which simplifies supply chain, provides more value to our Community Fair Trade partner and improves efficiency.
Over 2,000 waste collectors are engaged in the initiative, with more than 50% female workforce participation, enhancing economic empowerment and social equity.
The Body Shop aims to continue to source 100% recycled plastic from PFC and find newer ways to use this material including in our merchandise - such as accessories, travel kits & make up pouches during the festive season in India.
Q. Can you elaborate on the impact this partnership has had on the waste collectors’ communities, particularly in terms of social and economic empowerment?
SM: Together, Plastics for Change and The Body Shop have a shared vision: to use recycled plastic not just as a material, but as a tool to transform lives. Our partnership aims to create meaningful employment opportunities for marginalized communities, especially women, empowering them to come out of poverty and build a better future. Our partnership has created meaningful employment opportunities for marginalized communities, particularly women, who make up over 50% of those involved.
Beyond providing jobs, we've worked tirelessly to support the holistic well-being of these waste collectors and their families. We've provided access to essential services like healthcare, education, and financial assistance, helping them thrive. By empowering women waste collectors to become entrepreneurs, we're fostering gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty, one step at a time.
Q. How has the "Return, Recycle, Repeat" initiative been received by customers, and how has their participation contributed to achieving your sustainability goals?
SM: The "Return, Recycle, Repeat" (RRR) initiative is central to our goal of creating a circular economy for packaging. This program encourages consumers to return their used The Body Shop containers to our stores, fostering responsible disposal and recycling practices. Once the containers are returned, we handle the sorting and cleaning processes and partner with local organizations to ensure effective recycling.
The RRR initiative has achieved notable success, thanks largely to our customers’ participation. Their involvement is vital for us to reach our target of becoming 100% plastic-positive, meaning we aim to use only recycled plastic for our packaging. In India, for instance, we plan to recycle around 1 Million plastic bottles by the end of 2024, a milestone that depends on active customer engagement.
Q. What are your future plans in India, particularly in empowering women in waste-collecting communities?
Andrew Almack (AA): Our future plans in India focus on continuing to empower women in waste-collecting communities through several initiatives, a few in partnership with The Body Shop:
1. Expanding Project N.A.R.I (Nutrition-Ability-Retraining-Inclusion): We will scale this program to provide women with access to healthcare, education, and nutrition, along with retraining programs for roles such as plastic quality engineers.
2. Fostering Entrepreneurship: We aim to support women in starting their own small businesses by offering financial literacy and inclusive economic opportunities.
3. Community Development: Raising awareness on sustainability, health, and climate change will remain a priority, empowering women to become leaders in these critical areas.
We believe that by transforming waste-collecting into a platform for women’s entrepreneurship, we can create lasting social and economic change.
Q. Could you share a specific case study or success story that highlights how The Body Shop’s partnership with Plastics For Change has positively impacted a waste collector’s life?
AA: The Body Shop’s partnership with Plastics for Change has had a profound impact on improving the lives of waste collectors in India, especially through initiatives that support fair wages, better working conditions, and broader social services. A specific success story involves the empowerment of waste collectors.
According to Lee Mann (Head of Community Fair Trade and Sustainable Sourcing at The Body Shop), “My work allows me to realise The Body Shop ambition to be a positive force for good in the world. Our programme uses trade as a mechanism to help provide access to decent and meaningful work for thousands of people and to support community-based business development to allow for greater market access for their products. To be able to support community based socio-economic and environmental programmes on the back of this is what Community Fair Trade is all about. I see time and time again that what many communities lack is opportunity and when you are able to help provide that then they do amazing things with it! I’m privileged to be able to work with some of the most amazingly creative, passionate and entrepreneurial people on earth.”
Q. How does Plastics for Change ensure that the recycled plastic it sources meets fair-trade criteria while adhering to environmental standards?
AA: We ensure that the sourced recycled plastic meets both fair-trade criteria and environmental standards through a combination of robust processes, strategic partnerships, and sustainable practices. Here’s how Plastics for Change achieves these objectives:
Environmental Compliance:
- Collaborates with certified recycling facilities to minimize emissions.
- Promotes closed-loop recycling to reduce virgin plastic use.
- Implements proper waste segregation for higher quality recyclables.
- Conducts regular audits to enhance energy efficiency and waste reduction.
Fair-Trade Adherence:
- Guarantees fair wages for waste collectors and workers.
- Ensures safe and dignified working conditions.
- Engages directly with waste-picking communities to avoid exploitation.
Certification and Traceability:
- Partners with certifying bodies like OBP Social+ Standard and B Corp to verify ethical practices.
- Uses digital tracking to ensure transparency from collection to recycling.
Capacity Building:
- Provides training on environmental best practices and fair-trade principles.
- Conducts workshops on sustainable sourcing and waste management.
Collaborations:
- Works with NGOs and governments to comply with regulations.
- Aligns supply chains with sustainability and ethical trade standards.
Q. As you mark the five-year milestone of your partnership, what are The Body Shop’s future goals for scaling the impact of this collaboration with Plastics for Change?
SM: As we celebrate the five-year milestone of our global partnership with Plastics for Change, we remain deeply committed to scaling our impact on both the environment and the communities we work with.
