By the ocean, we're connected as one

Picture yourself standing bare feet on a shore, where the land meets the vast expanse of shimmering blue. As you stare at the horizon, feel the ebb and flow of the vast ocean that connects us to all the remarkable life that thrives within and on it.

From the tiniest plankton to the enigmatic creatures of the deep, the ocean cradles a rich tapestry of life that extends far beyond its shores. It is a vital source of oxygen that fills us with a sense of freedom, a provider of sustenance that fills us with a sense of satiation, and a guardian against the ravages of climate change that fills us with a sense of protection.

Take a moment to reflect on the urgent crisis of ocean plastic pollution, and how your daily consumption habits and waste disposal practices directly impact the fate of our ocean. You have the power to create positive waves of impact!

Read our latest blog – The ocean's connection to all life on Earth – to better understand the interconnectedness that binds us to the ocean.

Now is the time to act. Together, we can shift the tides towards a sustainable and more resilient future.

Our 2022 Sustainability Report is out now! Click here to explore the progress and impact of our Social Recycling movement, showcasing milestones, partnerships, and initiatives that shape our path toward a wasteless world.

This report is not just a collection of facts and figures; it is a testament to the boundless potential of humanity to address pressing issues. But our work is far from over. There is still much more that needs to be done. So here’s to impact, more progress, and more change in the years to come!

Philippines

Our Community Partnership team in the Philippines distributed gift certificates to our partner school Sen. Benigno Aquino Elementary School (SBAES) in Baseco, Manila, last month. The gift certificates will be used to purchase school supplies for the students and faculty members.

Moreover, our Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific, Rene Guarin, was invited by Radyo 5, a local radio station in the Philippines, to talk about our partnership with PHILUSA Corporation and discuss the strides we are making in our mission to stop ocean plastic.

Indonesia

In May, we welcomed our long-time partner Ocean Bottle to our community in Bali, Indonesia, where they witnessed the impact of our collaboration in action! We visited two collection branches and spent the day gathering plastic alongside our collection members. To date, our partnership with Ocean Bottle has prevented more than 1.9 million kilograms of plastic from entering our ocean, and empowered 395 collection members to pave a path out of poverty.

Brazil

Humans of Social Recycling in Brazil have reached a milestone of collecting over 4.5 million of kilograms of plastic! The biggest contributions come from our community in Espirito Santo, which continues to grow its collections – from 46,976 kilograms of plastic waste in February to 76,443 kilograms in May.

As for our continued Community Development Programs in the country, we have distributed hygiene and vegetable kits to 235 collection members in Espirito Santo, and food baskets to 52 collection members in Rio de Janeiro.

Egypt

We are celebrating yet another collection milestone in Egypt! Our community has prevented 10 million kilograms of plastic from entering the ocean. We held a media roundtable on May 31 to highlight the contribution of our partner Henkel in making this impact possible.

Additionally, we conducted health and safety training for 150 collection members, and distributed nutrition vouchers to 400 collection members that can be redeemed at major hypermarkets in Egypt.