“Sustainability Communication: Maximizing Impact and Responsibility in Companies”

“The sustainability It is a value that is already in the DNA of most companies and brands, and is part of their corporate culture, which means that it is a transversal value in all departments. Increasingly committed to the environment, companies promote actions and programs to reduce their footprint, both internally and externally: use of circular materials, reduction of unnecessary packaging, products with less environmental impact, transport with a lower carbon footprint and further”. This is how he explains it Ana Almeidaresponsible for MKT of TerraCycle in Spain, to PRNews. But, what is the communication process like so that this process really has the desired impact?

For Almeida, “it is important that, in addition to incorporating sustainability into the companies’ corporate culture, we disseminate, through clear and transparent communication, the urgent need to minimize our impact: among all of us we must increase environmental awareness and promote individual and collective responsibility”. Thus the process, he tells us in this interview.

When did it start to be necessary and when will it be indispensable?

It has been a long time since it has been essential that administrations, companies, shops, businesses, institutions, schools, universities and citizens work together to minimize our impact. There are more and more initiatives that promote sustainable objectives such as the generation of less waste and the promotion of reuse and recycling. In the case of TerraCycle, we promote, together with reference brands, free programs to recycle “irrecyclable” waste, that is, those that cannot be recycled in the usual containers -green, yellow and blue-. In this way, TerraCycle helps give a second life to this waste and prevents it from ending up in the landfill.

How is the operation?

How it works is simple: TerraCycle partners with brands that want to reduce their impact to jointly promote free recycling programs. The programs focus on collecting specific waste such as pens and writing materials, razors, dental care or beauty products, among others, that cannot be recycled in traditional containers. Once the waste is collected, it is classified, grouped and recycled. In the recycling process, different types of materials are separated, for example metals are melted down to make new alloys in order to be recycled, and plastics are extruded and granulated to be molded into new products such as benches or soap dishes. . We are very satisfied with the impact of these programs in Spain, since at the end of 2022 we had around 1,400 collection points for recycling in Spain, 33% more than the previous year. The data shows that citizens are increasingly committed to sustainability.

What can companies whose products are difficult to recycle do, at the level of sustainability and communication?

Companies have an environmental responsibility for which they must prevent, avoid and repair any environmental damage that their activity may cause. Today there are many aspects that brands and companies can work on at the sustainability level, for example, choosing their suppliers well, modifying the materials they work with and integrating circulars, efficiently managing resources and waste, reducing the footprint of carbon or encourage responsible behavior of its customers, among many others. Regarding recycling, there are products that do not fit in traditional containers, but there are always alternatives. The case of TerraCycle is clear: in 2022 TerraCycle collected and gave a second life in 2022 more than one million items in Spain, one million traditionally irrecyclable waste. Our purpose is to prevent them from ending up in landfills, incineration or the natural environment. Brands partner with us to drive free recycling programs for consumers, and they fund those programs so that TerraCycle can recycle the product.

Could you give an example?

Together with BIC, we promote a program very successful recycling of writing instruments. Around 150 Spanish colleges, institutes and universities offer their community a collection box to deposit writing instruments and when it is full, TerraCycle collects and recycles it. In 2022, 764,000 units of writing instruments were collected in Spain to turn them into recycled products such as chairs and benches for parks, and, since the start of the program, close to 6.2 million units have been collected in the country. This case clearly shows BIC’s involvement and commitment to waste management to give its products a second life. Along the same lines, in Spain the involvement of Gillette, Philips, L’Occitane and Rip Curl also stands out, which also promote and finance free recycling programs.

Recycling difficult products, where does the company’s responsibility end and the consumer’s begin?

It is certainly a common responsibility. Sustainability is an increasingly important value for both consumers and brands. According to the global study published by NielsenIQ The Changing Climate of Sustainability (The Changing Climate of Sustainability), 65% of consumers take some measure to live in a more sustainable way: take their bags to the purchase, separate the garbage for recycling, minimize the use of electricity. And eight out of 10 Spaniards ask that companies take the initiative to reduce their environmental footprint. Hence, the citizen, in addition to working every day to improve their environment, demands organizations, industries and companies to do the same, demanding that they have a social purpose and that they reduce waste production. Initiatives such as the reduction of consumption, the use of circular materials, the reduction of packaging or reuse, among many others, are becoming more and more popular. Most of the waste is technically recyclable but requires a more complex and costly treatment, so it is not profitable for local administrations. In these cases, we believe it is important that brands assume this cost of recycling. And we encourage you to do it with TerraCycle, an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, to promote not only recycling itself but also environmental education and awareness.

What does it take for a campaign to truly involve the consumer in this chain?

At TerraCycle we have verified that communication is key to ensuring that a recycling program is successful, that is, that it has many collection points for recycling materials -shops, schools, businesses, NGOs, entities, etc- and that residents of the community deposit their waste. For this, at TerraCycle we are very active on social networks and in the media in the area. It is essential that people know where they can go to recycle, at what time and what happens to the product afterwards. Communication and transparency are essential. We especially like to explain the recycling process as it motivates citizens to recycle. More and more schools, entities and businesses are joining TerraCycle’s recycling programs, and the company closed 2022 with nearly 1,400 collection points and people who collect products for recycling, 33% more than in 2021. These data confirm that Citizens are increasingly involved with recycling.

Which brands in Spain are already working in this sense?

I see that there are many brands committed to sustainability and that they are promoting more and more actions in this line. But I would like to highlight the brands that TerraCycle currently works with in Spain: Philips, Gillette, BIC, L’Occitane and Rip Curl, among others. All of them benchmark brands in their sectors and that show a great commitment to recycling. Globally, Terracycle has partnered with more than 600 well-known brands such as P&G, Unilever, Nestlé, L’Oreal or Pepsico, among many others.

Where should those who are not yet doing it start… also at the level of communication?

I believe that it is essential to incorporate sustainability into the company’s DNA and corporate culture. It is no longer just a question of marketing or innovation, but sustainability must challenge all departments. Probably having sustainability experts can help companies review their protocols and actions and reduce their impact.

We will keep communicating…