California-based As You Sow released the 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard, which analyzed the actions and inactions of the 50 largest consumer-oriented companies in the United States in reducing plastic pollution. The new report found that significant progress has been made in certain areas, such as the dramatic increase in commitments to reduce the use of virgin plastic for packaging, partly due to the involvement of As You Sow shareholders. Overall, the report echoes the findings of previous investigations, that is, given the urgency of the crisis, no company has adopted a sufficiently robust policy to act.

"The company is now more aware of the plastic pollution crisis they helped to cause, but the knowledge is not enough," said Kelly McBee, coordinator of the As You Sow waste project and author of the report. "Packaging manufacturers must take swift and decisive action to ensure that the products they produce are not only recyclable, but are actually recycled on a large scale."

Among the 50 companies ranked on the scorecard, Coca-Cola received the highest score of "B". The key contribution of the Coca-Cola Grade is the high level of transparency in its packaging, a firm commitment to recycling all containers put on the market, and support for producer responsibility initiatives. Coca-Cola is the only company in the report that disclosed the number of plastic packaging it produces. The company also reported that its 2030 goal is to achieve 60% progress, which is to recycle one bottle or can for every bottle or can produced, which is a unique example of a manufacturer responsible for its packaging.

Alpa Sutaria, General Manager of Sustainability, Coca-Cola North America Operations, said: “We are very pleased to be recognized by As You Sow for our actions in handling plastic waste. Working with investors, peer companies and other stakeholders to develop other solutions, because we know that our collective work on this issue is far from complete. " 

The six highest ranked companies, including their ranks, are:

Coca-Cola, B Keurig Dr Pepper, C+ Nestlé, C+ Walmart Inc., C+ Colgate-Palmolive, C+ Target Corp., C+

In the low group, 17 companies received a "C" level, 18 companies received a "D" level, and 14 companies received an "F" level. The six lowest-ranked companies by revenue size (including their rank) are:

Amazon, D-, US$386 billion Costco, F, US$167 billion Walgreens, D-, US$140 billion Kroger, D, US$122 billion P&G, D, US$71 billion Kraft Heinz, D, US$26 billion

According to As You Sow, the large number of poor and failing grades reflects the lack of basic goal setting, strategies and actions to shift from disposable packaging to reusable packaging to effectively solve the plastic pollution crisis.

"Plastic packaging pollution is increasingly becoming a risk for consumer-oriented companies-regulatory risk, financial risk, supply chain risk, and most importantly brand risk," Bruno Montein, senior analyst at Bernstein Autonomous, a global equity research company in London (Bruno Monteyne) said. "It is prudent that consumer product companies with strong consumer brands, such as those in the As You Sow scorecard, prioritize investment in more innovative and sustainable product delivery and waste collection."

Leadership in supporting recycling has dropped significantly. So far, only 5% of the $17 billion required for the expansion and upgrade of the U.S. recycling infrastructure has been secured. The scorecard results show that companies still have a long way to go before they transition from disposable plastics, greatly increase recycling rates, and realize a truly circular plastic economy.

This new scorecard builds on As You Sow's "Waste and Opportunity 2020" report, which explores the sustainability of packaging as a whole. The progress of companies in sustainable packaging is most notable in packaging design and the expansion of the pillars of producer responsibility, mainly due to global coordination and cooperation through efforts including the Allen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment to the New Plastics Economy. When developing the scorecard, As You Sow sought input from industry leaders, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Recycling Partnership, and the U.S. Plastics Convention, to develop 44 metrics to measure corporate actions. In addition to the sub-levels of each pillar, the company also received an overall level.

"We know that some high-branch companies have failed to deliver on their promises in the past, so we will pay close attention to them to see if they do what they say and achieve their goals," Mcbee said. "It is crucial for investors, policymakers and the public to hold these companies accountable for taking bold and sustained action.

"Companies must act on all six identified pillars to demonstrate progress in reducing their share of the plastic pollution crisis." 

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