Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), is a framework for understanding how a corporation works to achieve social goals that go beyond maximizing profits, including setting environmental standards, supporting social movements, and promoting diversity & inclusion.
Interest in ESG grows each year; money flowing into ESG funds more than doubled between 2020 and 2021, and some estimates say that the $8 trillion in these funds today could reach $30 trillion by 2030.1
Firms understand that this is an important way to draw investment and stand out to eco-conscious customers.
ESG commitments include but are not limited to:
- Climate change-related pledges,
- Local community involvement,
- Forming sustainability committees & setting KPIs
- Publicly sharing carbon footprint information
Plastic Footprint = A Key ESG Metric2
How much plastic used is made from recycled plastics?
What is the recyclability & biodegradability of these products?
Where does the plastic end up after use?
Plastic pollution largely impacts marginalized communities, and our current approach of recycling, using landfills, and incineration is not the solution.
Less than 10% of plastic in the US is recycled, and 80% ends up in landfills. And plastic production is expected to triple by 2050.
So what can companies do?
- Examine their product life cycles,
- Incorporate re-usability into product design, and
- Provide an accurate assessment of total plastic footprint.
Why get ahead of this issue?
- Be better prepared for future legislation/regulation in terms of plastic use.
- Position brand to be eco-friendly and ahead of the curve
- Attract more investment as ESG concerns grow greater each year.
The urgency of climate change has raised the stakes, and plastic management among corporations will no doubt be front and center in the ESG discussion for the next several years.
ESG Example: Dr. Noah Bamboo Toothbrushes3
Some estimates say that by 2040, global plastic waste could equal 1.3 billion tons. 
Geunwoo Park, a South Korean dentist decided to do his part to take on this issue by creating a social venture company, Dr. Noah, which makes biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes to replace their traditional plastic counterparts.
These brushes degrade far faster than plastic, and their production in poor areas of Vietnam contribute to higher incomes for residents, and greater living conditions.
This firm has taken ESG responsibility to heart and rallied around a shared vision of cutting down on plastic waste and poverty.
They lead by example, and encourage larger global consumer goods companies to step up and take action on plastic waste, and climate change.
Dissolving Cleaners: Contributing to ESG Plastic Goals
At Aqua ChemPacs, we believe that cleaning shouldn’t be a wasteful endeavor. We make dissolving cleaning pacs that support a circular approach, one that doesn’t throw away plastic bottles and instead greatly reduces the use of both plastics and gasoline.
Using dissolving cleaners is a great way to decrease plastic use, an important metric in the ESG landscape. Consider making the switch today.
Try samples today:
- 1. ESG and Sustainable Investment Outlook
- 2. Corporate Plastic Footprints: A Growing ESG and Sustainable Finance Focus
- 3. The Path to Sustainable ESG Management
