Collaboration with Plastics For Change: cosnova supports plastic waste recycling and fair working conditions in India
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Press Release Collaboration with Plastics For Change: cosnova supports plastic waste recycling and fair working conditions in India Sulzbach, May 06, 2020 – The German cosmetics company cosnova is supporting the organization Plastics For Change with a donation of 35,000 US dollars: With cosnova's support, the ethical sourcing platform has been expanding two collection centers for ocean plastic waste in India since the beginning of 2020. The aim of the cooperation is to recycle the discarded plastic as a valuable recycled plastic and at the same time to create a sustainable livelihood for Indian workers. With the help of cosnova's donation, Plastics For Change is able to develop and expand two collection centers for plastic waste from the sea in Mangalore and Bangalore, India. The workers here sort the collected recyclables, remove labels and process them into a high-quality basis for recyclates, i.e. reprocessed plastics, which can then serve a new purpose as recycled packaging. “Plastics For Change is proud to partner with Cosnova on this exciting project. Unlike many western countries, emerging countries like India lack access to formal waste management systems. Unorganized groups of recyclers use crude technology that results in downcycling of the material and use exploitative practices. This contribution marks an important milestone on our mission to formalize the informal recycling economy,” says Andrew Almack, CEO of Plastics For Change. Sustainable commitment towards people and the environment “Plastics For Change provides dignity to the recyclers in the supply chain and makes a valuable contribution to recycling management, environmental protection and fair trade," says Maximilian Peters, Senior Manager Corporate Responsibility at cosnova, explaining the commitment of the medium-sized company. "The recyclable materials obtained are of a very high quality and can help us to produce even more packaging from recycled material in future.” The donation has already made it possible to purchase a conveyor belt for segregation and a machine for removing labels at the Mangalore site, and to increase occupational safety. Among other things, the initiative has limited the daily working hours of the workers to eight hours and ensured compliance with local protection laws. Productivity has also PRESS CONTACT Eva Kalkuhl | Head of Brand & Corporate PR | e.kalkuhl@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1425 Anna Planz | Brand & Corporate PR Manager | a.planz@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1426
increased more than threefold. The next steps of the joint project are the
expansion of the plant in Bangalore and further training on occupational safety
and health.
Ambitious goal: 50% recyclates from 2025
Recycled and recyclable packaging is an important component of sustainable beauty
products. With its sustainability strategy, cosnova is also committed to the increased use
of recycled materials and has set itself the ambitious goal of producing at least 50 percent
of its packaging from recycled or renewable raw materials by 2025. In the long term, this
will save up to 80% energy and 60% greenhouse gases. "Our plans also include using
recycled material processed by Plastics For Change in the product packaging for our brands
in the future. We are already planning various test runs with our packaging suppliers for
this,” explains Maximilian Peters.
However, cosnova's commitment to recycling plastic does not end with the product
packaging: for example, the cosmetic company has also been using recycled inserts in the
beauty counters of its CATRICE brand in retail stores since the beginning of this year. The
aim here is to reduce the use of "virgin plastics" and to primarily use recycled materials
instead. In the first half of 2020, 13 tons of new plastic were saved in the CATRICE
counters.
We have already made a difference to Shantavva’s life
Shantavva Jangamar works as a plastic waste sorter for Plastics For Change.
She left school before completing the 10 th grade and made a living
as a seamstress. Soon afterwards, she got married and became a
mother, living with her parents in law. She worked at a betelnut
plantation under difficult conditions. But despite long working
hours, little freedom and low pay, Shantavva believed in achieving
a better life.
She finally found work at Plastics For Change. She still remembers the training exercise
with the fire extinguisher today – until then, she had never received a training for
occupational safety. Now she has an employer who pays her fairly, respects her working
hours and gives her a chance of a better life. For the future, Shantavva dreams of living
in her own house and providing her children with the best possible education.
PRESS CONTACT
Eva Kalkuhl | Head of Brand & Corporate PR | e.kalkuhl@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1425
Anna Planz | Brand & Corporate PR Manager | a.planz@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1426
Imagery can be downloaded under this link.
Machine for removing labels
Workers in the collection center Mangalore
Female workers at the new conveyor belt PET bales
Portrait in the community 1 Portrait in the community 2
PRESS CONTACT
Eva Kalkuhl | Head of Brand & Corporate PR | e.kalkuhl@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1425
Anna Planz | Brand & Corporate PR Manager | a.planz@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1426
Portrait in the community 3 ABOUT COSNOVA BEAUTY cosnova Beauty with headquarters in Sulzbach/Germany is managed by the Executive Managers Mathias Delor, Javier González, Gesine Hild, Dirk Lauber, Christina Oster-Daum, Hilko Prahl and Yvonne Wutzler. At the end of the 2018 fiscal year, cosnova Beauty had around 600 employees around the world. Meanwhile, its cosmetic brands such as essence, CATRICE and L.O.V are sold in over 80 countries in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and Africa. The company's customers include drugstores, food retailers, department stores, perfumeries and fashion chains. ABOUT PLASTICS FOR CHANGE Plastics For Change enables industry partners to transition towards a circular economy while measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The company partners with global brands and manufacturers to catalyze real change in communities that need it most. We’re helping to formalize the informal sector by empowering wastepicker to become wastepreneurs. Plastics For Change is expanding its plastic recycling centers to coastal communities to create a positive change through responsible supply chains. PRESS CONTACT Eva Kalkuhl | Head of Brand & Corporate PR | e.kalkuhl@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1425 Anna Planz | Brand & Corporate PR Manager | a.planz@cosnova.com | Tel.: +49 6196 76156-1426
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