As part of its Sustainability Program, Watsons Philippines has entered a collaboration with Plastic Bank to help reduce plastic pollution and alleviate poverty by creating livelihood.
Plastic waste is a big problem for the environment and humanity in general: Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean. If this continues unabated, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans in 30 years. Sadly, the Philippines is one of the top 3 contributors to this plastic problem.
Sustainability has always been part of the Watsons DNA. Recognizing that the ocean stores a quarter of CO2 from the atmosphere and up to 93.4% of heat caused by the greenhouse effect, Watsons is committed to reducing the overall impact of its own brand plastic packaging so that it may contribute to ocean protection.
The A.S. Watsons Group has banned the use of microplastics in its own brand of rinse-off cosmetics or personal care products since 2014. By the end of 2019, this ban has been extended to all brands so no rinse-off cosmetics or personal care products from any brand are sold at any Watsons stores.
Watsons Philippines offers its customers four Sustainable Choices: Clean Beauty (mindfully created products without “unwanted” ingredients), Refill and Reduce (refilling bottles and reusing containers), Better Ingredients and Better Packaging.
Watsons – PR and Sutainability Director Ms. Viki Encarnacion
(Plastic Bank Asia – Head of Sales) Mr. Giovanni Bottazzi
(DTI – Director of Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau) – Atty. Marcus Valdez II.
Through its Impact Program Collaboration with Plastic Bank, the health, wellness, and beauty retailer will continue to Do Good for the Oceans by committing to the prevention of 50,000 kg of plastic bottles from entering the world’s oceans – the equivalent of 2.5 million bottles over the first 12 months.
“At the heart of Look Good, Feel Great is Do Good. Watsons has always been at the forefront of sustainability and this collaboration with Plastic Bank only further reinforces our commitment to helping make this world a better place,” said Viki Encarnacion, Watsons PR and Sustainability Director.
“We are happy to team up with Watsons Philippines – a company that shares our vision on creating a regenerative economy. This collaboration showcases our unified goal of stopping ocean plastic while creating more opportunities for people living in vulnerable coastal communities,” said David Katz, Founder, and CEO of Plastic Bank.
What a bold move to promote planet sustainability for Watson’s. We are still a long way off in protecting and cleaning up our waters, but still, Bravo!
It’s embarrassing that our country is one of the top contributors to plastic waste. Good to know that companies like Watsons are doing their part to help though. I hope more businesses follow suit.
Grateful that popular brands such as Watsons is gearing towards sustainability. This is the solution our planet needs right now.
So glad to see big companies doing their part in saving the Earth from all of the manmade pollution. Good job, Watsons! Keep on improving and hopefully, be 100% environment-friendly in the future.
this is so good! not only for the people using watsons products but most especially for the ocean and its environment. happy that watsons is doing it as i am one loyal customer!
I am all support for this advocacy. We’re also trying to reduce plastic use at home because as our way of contributing. We only have one planet. Let’s save it while we still can.
This is a great initiative to help take care of our ocean and to spread awareness of the effects of plastic on the marine environment