Plastics disclosure data
CDP's plastics disclosure data demonstrates the importance of data in informing decision-making, driving action and tracking Global Plastics Treaty progress.
In 2023, CDP expanded its global disclosure platform, empowering companies to disclose their plastic-related activities, impacts, risks and opportunities. CDP presents – for the first time – the results from this landmark corporate plastic data from almost 3,000 companies.
These findings represent a performance baseline for accelerating corporate action on plastic pollution and waste and highlight the significant gaps to be addressed in companies’ awareness of, and action to mitigate, plastic-related impacts and risks.
companies disclosed through CDP in 2023
$US of market capitalization value represented by disclosing companies
companies signed an open letter calling for mandatory disclosure under the Global Plastics Treaty
Disclosure on plastics is critical for building business resilience, reducing impacts and getting ahead of incoming regulation. This was recognized by almost 40 major companies with US$270 billion in market capitalization who signed CDP’s open letter calling for mandatory disclosure to be included in the Global Plastics Treaty, set to be agreed by the end of 2024.
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400,000,000 tonnes of plastic are produced each year.
...and this number is only increasing. Yet less than 10% of plastics are recycled globally each year.
Plastic pollution and waste are detrimental to our ecosystems, economies, communities and health. As the pace and scale of the plastic crisis escalates, we must act now. Disclosure is the first step.
Awareness
Insight
Mapping plastics produced and used across value chains is important because a large proportion of companies’ plastic-related impacts derive from both their suppliers’ activities and the use-phase of their products. For example, in the food and beverage industry, plastic packaging used to contain products often ends up as waste or pollution.
Concerningly, 41% of companies haven’t mapped the impact of their plastics use and production on the environment and human health – and don’t intend to do so within the next two years – despite overwhelming evidence of extensive negative impacts.
Each year, more evidence is being highlighted by scientists and frontline communities of the detrimental impacts that plastic production, pollution and waste have on people and planet:
Single-use plastic production could account for 5 to 10% of the world’s emissions by 2050 [1]
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Less than 10% [2] of plastic waste gets recycled every year. In the US alone, at least 85% [3] of plastic waste ends up in landfills.
Exposure to plastics is associated with a range of health conditions, with the average person ingesting around a credit card-sized amount of plastic every week [4]
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Disclosure and engaging suppliers are critical steps to understand where plastics are produced, used and disposed of (or pollute) along the global value chain. They also help to identify where the systemic challenges plastics pose might be transformed into opportunities to scale data-driven solutions.
Many disclosing companies operate in sectors known to have significant plastic-related impacts, meaning that they are very likely to face tangible risks as a result, such as supply chain disruptions, waste management fees, and regulatory risks.With just 21% of disclosers having identified plastic-related risks, and more than half having failed to conduct plastic-related risk assessments in 2023, it is clear that companies are both overlooking and significantly underestimating the risks associated with their production, trade and use of plastics.
Risks for companies
Plastic pollution and waste pose distinct risks to human health, from both exposure to plastic particles and the associated chemicals.
Plastics pose huge risks to companies across the global economy, from regulatory, reputational and financial risks to physical, legal and technological.
Companies face a US$100B annual financial risk if governments require them to cover waste management costs at expected volumes and recyclability.
Opportunities for companies taking action
There is a large, growing expectation for companies to respond and adapt to plastic-related impacts among investors and customers.
Converting just 20% of plastic packaging into reuse models is a US$10 billion business opportunity that benefits customers, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Companies should act now to get ahead of regulation and boost their competitive advantage, with the Global Plastics Treaty set to be developed by the end of 2024.
Action
Setting plastic-related targets is vital for companies to create accountability and ensure awareness is translated into action. Plastic-related targets could span a number of objectives, from phasing out the use of virgin polymers and achieving full recyclability of products, to reducing microplastic pollution and ensuring waste is managed effectively.
The fact that plastic packaging and waste management were the most common target types indicates that many companies are currently focusing on managing downstream plastic impacts to reduce the amount of plastic being disposed of in their value chains. While these are priority issues to tackle, we cannot recycle our way out of the plastics crisis. Companies must set targets to address the full lifecycle and value chain of plastics, including to reduce their production, purchase and use of plastic products and polymers in the first place.
Take action now
While CDP’s data demonstrates that many companies are recognizing the need to build an awareness of their plastic-related impacts and take action to address them, it also highlights major gaps that must be addressed.
Policymakers
Ahead of the next round of Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Ottawa in April 2024, policymakers must ensure mandatory corporate disclosure is a key part of the Treaty. The volume and quality of data required to enact effective, evidence-based plastic-related policy and to track progress can only be achieved with mandatory corporate disclosure regulation.
Companies
Companies must acknowledge the evidence: no industry is immune to the risks associated with plastic pollution. From 2024, all companies responding to CDP’s full corporate questionnaire will be able to disclose on plastics. With mandatory disclosure fast approaching, companies not ready to report on plastics will soon be left behind. The time to begin disclosing on plastics is now.
Investors
Clear, comprehensive data on plastic dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities is vital for financial institutions to avoid risks and inform investment decisions. Financial institutions must request companies in their portfolio to disclose on plastics as a first step toward reducing against plastic-related risks associated with investments and to align financial flows with sustainable business practice.
Footnotes
The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics – World Economic Forum
Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling falls short – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Real Truth About the U.S. Recycling Rate – Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup
No Plastic in Nature: Assessing plastic ingestion from nature to people – World Wildlife Fund
Learn more about CDP's work on plastics
Our partners
CDP, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Minderoo Foundation, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and WWF are working together to expand CDP’s global environmental disclosure system to help solve the plastic crisis. Together, with our partners, we will harness the transparency and accountability obtained through disclosure to drive ambitious action on plastic pollution and waste at scale. This will be essential to the global protection of the environment and human health, supporting the transition to a 1.5°C, nature-positive, globally equitable world.