Joining Nextwave Plastics: The Cost And Benefits

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. The initiative is committed to keeping plastic out of the marine environment and in the economy. To join NextWave Plastics, eligible companies must be interested in collaborating with a group of like-minded peers to further the ocean-bound plastic economy by producing viable ocean-bound plastic product use cases. They must also provide information on their sourcing, the type of ocean-bound material they have available, and a report on their social and environmental metrics. The cost of joining NextWave Plastics is currently unknown, however, notable member companies include Dell Technologies, Herman Miller, Interface, Humanscale, Trek Bicycle, General Motors, IKEA, HP, and Bureo.

NextWave Plastics' mission

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites traditionally competing multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. Its mission is to keep plastic out of the ocean and in the economy.

NextWave Plastics was launched in 2017 by Dell Technologies and Lonely Whale as part of a United Nations commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14. The initiative builds on Dell's ocean-bound plastic program, which was launched in 2016. NextWave aims to bring together a cross-industry consortium of companies to work collaboratively and transparently to create a global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains and scale the use of ocean-bound plastics.

NextWave member companies are committed to sourcing verified ocean-bound plastics from Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, Haiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They plan to expand their supply chain efforts in these countries and add new sources of supply from a minimum of three additional countries, including India, Taiwan, and Thailand, by 2025. Through these efforts, NextWave companies will also expand the types of materials sourced and work closely with other supply chain development initiatives to create scale within priority communities.

NextWave member companies recognize that there are many "low-hanging" plastics throughout their operations and supply chains that can be minimized or eliminated. Each company evaluates and prioritizes opportunities for plastics reduction across operations, shipping and receiving, events, guest experience, and manufacturing. They are also committed to minimizing their environmental footprint by considering the distance to manufacturing facilities when determining priority geographies for ocean-bound plastic sourcing.

Since its launch, NextWave has grown to include prominent companies such as HP Inc., IKEA, Bureo, Herman Miller, Humanscale, Interface, Solgaard, and CPI Card Group. These companies are working together to address the marine litter crisis at a global scale and have made significant progress in diverting plastic from entering the oceans.

Member companies

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites traditionally competing multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. To become a member company, you must be a multinational company or material supplier interested in collaborating with a group of like-minded peers and furthering the ocean-bound plastic economy by producing viable ocean-bound plastic product use cases.

NextWave member companies are currently sourcing verified ocean-bound plastics from Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, Haiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They are committed to expanding supply chain efforts in those countries and adding new sources of supply from a minimum of three additional countries, including India, Taiwan, and Thailand, by 2025. Through these efforts, NextWave companies will also expand the types of materials sourced and will work closely with other supply chain development initiatives to create scale within priority communities.

Current member companies include Dell Technologies, Herman Miller, Interface, Humanscale, Trek Bicycle, General Motors, IKEA, HP, Bureo, Solgaard, and CPI Card Group. Since 2017, these member companies have prevented the equivalent of over 257 million water bottles from entering the ocean. In 2021, members reported a 70.5% increase in the utilization of ocean-bound plastic over 2019 levels and launched over a dozen new product use cases.

Environmental footprint

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites traditionally competing multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastics supply chains. The initiative is committed to keeping plastic out of the marine environment and reducing plastic leakage into natural systems. NextWave member companies are committed to minimizing their environmental footprint by considering the distance to manufacturing facilities and prioritizing ocean-bound plastic sourcing.

Since its launch, NextWave has made significant progress in reducing plastic pollution. As of 2021, member companies have prevented the equivalent of over 257 million water bottles from entering the ocean, with a 98% increase in annual diversion over 2020. This collective effort has resulted in diverting 2,316 metric tons of plastic from the ocean. NextWave members are actively working together to integrate ocean-bound plastics into their products and packaging, demonstrating that change is possible on a large scale.

To further reduce their environmental impact, NextWave members are encouraged to evaluate and prioritize opportunities for plastic reduction across various operations, including shipping, receiving, events, manufacturing, and more. They are also committed to ensuring that their supply chains protect the workers involved in waste management. By collaborating with market competitors, NextWave members aim to create accessible, easily understood, and verifiable solutions for integrating ocean-bound plastics.

NextWave Plastics and its member companies, including Dell Technologies, IKEA, HP, and others, are committed to scaling the use of ocean-bound plastics. They are sourcing verified ocean-bound plastics from various countries, with plans to expand their supply chain efforts globally. This initiative is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 14, aiming to address the marine litter crisis at a global scale.

Supply chains

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites traditionally competing multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. NextWave member companies are committed to keeping plastic out of the marine environment and in the economy. They are also committed to minimizing their environmental footprint by reducing the distance ocean-bound plastic material needs to be shipped for product manufacturing.

To become a member company, eligible candidates should email the NextWave Plastics team and express their interest in becoming a member company. The candidates should be multinational companies and material suppliers interested in collaborating with a group of like-minded peers and furthering the ocean-bound plastic economy by producing viable ocean-bound plastic product use cases. After reaching out, the candidates will be followed up with a brief interview.

Current member companies include Dell Technologies, Herman Miller, Interface, Humanscale, Trek Bicycle, General Motors, IKEA, HP, Bureo, Solgaard, and CPI Card Group. These companies are working together to scale the use of ocean-bound plastics and develop a global network of ocean-bound plastics supply chains. They are committed to expanding their supply chain efforts in Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, Haiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with plans to add new sources of supply from India, Taiwan, and Thailand by 2025.

Since its launch, NextWave member companies have diverted 2,316 metric tons of plastic from entering the ocean, with a 98% increase in annual diversion over 2020. They have also reported a 70.5% increase in the utilization of ocean-bound plastic over 2019 levels and launched over a dozen new product use cases. NextWave member companies are committed to ensuring that protections within their supply chains are inclusive of all workers involved in waste management.

Membership application

NextWave Plastics is an open-source initiative that unites traditionally competing multinational companies to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastics supply chains. The initiative is committed to keeping plastic out of the marine environment and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and the overall environmental impact.

To apply for membership, eligible companies must first email the NextWave team at [email protected]. In the email, the company should introduce themselves and explain why they would like to become a member company. NextWave will then follow up with a brief interview. Eligible candidates include multinational companies and material suppliers interested in collaborating with a group of like-minded peers and furthering the ocean-bound plastic economy by producing viable ocean-bound plastic product use cases.

In the application process, companies will be asked to provide information on their sourcing of ocean-bound materials, as well as a report on their social and environmental metrics and performance to date. This includes information on the types of ocean-bound materials available, the distance to manufacturing facilities, and the company's commitment to minimizing their environmental footprint.

NextWave member companies are expected to work collaboratively to advance progress on the cessation of marine litter and create solutions for integrating ocean-bound plastics into their products and packaging. They are also committed to ensuring the protection of workers involved in waste management and expanding their supply chain efforts globally.

Frequently asked questions