“Women in Circularity”: Beiersdorf launches initiative to support women and leverage plastic recycling in emerging markets

• The initiative will entail a donation of €4 million to support recycling organizations in Argentina, Ghana, India and Kenya.
• Around 15,000 tons of plastic will be collected and recycled annually in these emerging economies, thereby promoting a circular economy.
• More than 1,600 women will benefit from the initiative through income and development opportunities for themselves, as well as their families and communities.

Hamburg, November 2, 2023 – Beiersdorf continues to expand its corporate responsibility efforts, pushing forward its CARE BEYOND SKIN Sustainability Agenda. The new and holistic socio-ecological “Beiersdorf’s Women in Circularity Program” is providing substantial funding to plastic waste recycling organizations that have a social business approach. The initiative has two important objectives: The first is an expansion of the recycling infrastructure of plastic waste management organizations in emerging economies. The second is to ensure that the waste collectors, the majority of which are women, receive adequate training and development opportunities. The initiative will therefore have a positive environmental impact and will foster a more inclusive society.

“The global plastic problem has continued to intensify over the years due to the production and disposal of millions of tons of plastic annually, which is very often single-use plastic. This was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With our ‘Women in Circularity’ initiative we aim to help mitigate the devasting aftermath of the pandemic on both the environment and on society by creating a lasting impact,” says Jean-François Pascal, Vice President Corporate Sustainability.

The launch of the initiative involved the selection of organizations with a social business approach in regions that have been most affected by the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a comprehensive validation process and on-site visits, four organizations were selected: Delterra in Argentina, Recycle Up! Ghana in Ghana, Green Worms in India and TakaTaka Solutions in Kenya. Beiersdorf has donated funds through which these four organizations will be supported.

“Beiersdorf’s Women in Circularity Program” is a fund initiated and enabled by the Hamburg based skin care company and operated by the nonprofit social enterprise “Haus des Stiftens”. Through this donation, the abovementioned organizations will be able to offer income and development opportunities for more than 1,600 women within the waste management sector, which will in a direct consequence also have a positive impact for their families and communities. 

“Also, the initiative will help increase these organizations’ plastic waste collection and recycling capacity by around 15,000 tons of plastic per year by expanding their plastic waste management infrastructure including new recycling plants. The funds will create new jobs and improve working and living conditions of female waste collectors through the provision of training, occupational health and safety, health insurance and expanded immunization services,” says Luisa Robles Vega, Sustainability Manager Environmental Strategy & Human Rights. Plans also call for the establishment of an environmental promoter program to educate communities on recycling behavior, the awarding of academic scholarships and access to kindergartens, among other measures. 

Promoting a circular economy is one of the key focus areas of Beiersdorf’s CARE BEYOND SKIN Sustainability Agenda. In this context, Beiersdorf not only looks holistically at product improvements on the formula and packaging level, but also at projects that are centered around the implementation of a circular approach. “Beiersdorf’s Women in Circularity Program” adds to this important field of action beyond our value chain through the establishment and expansion of local recycling infrastructure within local markets in need of additional funding. 

Furthermore, the initiative sets a new landmark also in the context of Beiersdorf’s social commitment to foster a more inclusive society through the empowerment of girls and women. Since 2020, Beiersdorf has been delivering towards its mission to “Empowering girls and young women” in partnership with international non-profit organizations such as Plan International, CARE and Ashoka. The scope of impact is now being expanded with the 1,600 female waste workers who will benefit from the four projects being supported in Argentina, India, Ghana and Kenya by the fund “Beiersdorf’s Women in Circularity Program”. 

The initiative entails a donation of €4 million and is part of Beiersdorf’s COVID-19 Aid Program – the largest global aid program in Beiersdorf’s history, launched in 2020. In close cooperation with public authorities as well as local and international organizations, Beiersdorf aims to help mitigate the negative impacts and aftermath of the pandemic on both the environment and society. 

More information about the initiative can be found on our Corporate Website.