Plastic Bank
Code of Conduct

Our vision 

A regenerative world.

Our mission 

Gathering to end poverty.

Gathering hand

Our values

Taking Care of Our People

Compliance

Employment laws and regulations
We will comply with all applicable local and national laws and regulations regarding human rights, labour, and employment wherever we operate.

Discrimination, harassment, and abuse
We will not discriminate in employment — including hiring, compensation, advancement, discipline, termination, or retirement — on the grounds of race, caste, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, health conditions or diseases, pregnancy, religion, union membership, marital status, veteran status, political opinion and affiliation, or any category protected where we operate.

No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse by another employee or anyone associated with Plastic Bank, including contractors and suppliers.

Eko is a 55-year-old Plastic Bank collection branch owner in Bali. He started his business as a small junkyard in 2010. Over the course of twelve years, he successfully expanded his business into a prominent aggregator with five supplier/collection branches under his leadership. Combined, Eko's branches can collect approximately 100,000 kg of PET before it reaches Bali's beaches and the ocean.

No forced or child labour

We will never use forced labour or human trafficking in any form — prison, slavery, indentured, bonded or otherwise.

We will always comply with the national minimum age for employment, the age of completion of compulsory education or any other specified exception.

Elizabeth Ampuyas is a collection community member from Baseco, Tondo, Manila. She works as a street sweeper and get additional income through the plastic she collect.

Respect

Fair treatment
We are committed to honouring the rights of our employees and complying with all applicable wage and employment laws in all areas of the world where we operate.

Diversity
We recruit, hire, and retain the best talent from around the world, reflecting the markets and consumers we serve. Developing and retaining a diverse workforce offers a sustained competitive advantage. We recognize that diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences drive new ideas, products, and services, strengthening our ability to achieve our goals.

We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and do our part to create an environment where our colleagues can grow and succeed.

Society and community
Our mission is to gather individuals, businesses, and communities together to reveal the value in plastic and end poverty, providing additional income and access to social benefits to underserved communities.

The environment
Our commitment to environmental protection drives us to enable effective plastic collection, reducing the likelihood of it ending up in landfills, ocean, or the environment.

Joao Mazio, Vidigal beach, Rio de Janeiro

Taking care of our business

Slami shows Plastic Bank application on the beach in Bali, after she collects plastic waste.

Protecting confidential information

At Plastic Bank, “confidential information” refers to data not publicly available that we are privy to through our roles. We are collectively responsible for safeguarding Plastic Bank’s confidential information to prevent the loss of this vital asset. Additionally, we must ensure full compliance with the global General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and maintain a comprehensive understanding of our data privacy policies and procedures. This requires completing the mandatory annual data privacy training. Our responsibility extends to protecting confidential information received from partners, reinforcing our commitment to securing this crucial asset.

Avoiding conflict of interest

We define a conflict of interest as any circumstance that genuinely impairs, or reasonably appears to impair, an employee’s capacity to act objectively and independently in the best interests of Plastic Bank. We must avoid situations that may lead to a conflict of interest and promptly disclose any such conflicts to Plastic Bank.

A collection community member in Thailand is picking a plastic bottle

Rejecting bribery and corruption

Complying with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws. We do not condone, under any conditions, the offering, making or receiving of kickbacks or bribes or any other form of illegal payment under applicable law or regulation — including those known as “facilitating payments.”

Eko joined Plastic Bank, which provides him with various life-improving benefits such as increased income, an operational and safety toolkit, and additional training.

Money laundering involves individuals or organizations disguising the proceeds of criminal activities as legitimate funds. It is illegal, and we are committed to neither accepting, nor facilitating, or supporting it. Our approved payment and sales practices are meticulously designed to prevent any violation of these laws.

Competing fairly

Complying with antitrust and competition laws. We compete vigorously and fairly. We must all abide by competition laws (also referred to as “antitrust” laws). These laws can vary from market to market, but their common goal is to preserve free and open competition and to promote a competitive marketplace.

Taking care of our partners

Mariefe Rotugal, a collection community member from General Trias, Cavite collects plastic for a living. She is empowered through plastic collection that helps her provide daily necessities to her family.

Sharing our commitments

These principles guide our operations worldwide, and we expect our suppliers to share these ethics and commitments, including contract manufacturers, contractors, vendors, other business relations, and providers of goods or services, collectively, the “suppliers.”

Promoting the principles

These principles guide our operations worldwide, and we expect our suppliers to share these ethics and commitments, including contract manufacturers, contractors, vendors, other business relations, and providers of goods or services, collectively, the
“suppliers.”

In establishing this Code, Plastic Bank reviewed and considered the principles outlined in recognized standards and guidelines, including:

  • The Global Social Compliance Program Reference Code
  • The International Labor Organization’s 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
  • The United Nations Global Compact
  • The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

We support the efforts of organizations that seek to improve working and environmental conditions and encourage our suppliers to promote these same standards.

Rasha Gameel, collection member from Toura.

Get involved with Plastic Bank

A barista with curly hair, wearing a black apron, smiles while serving a drink and croissants to a customer at a café.

Professional Membership

Fund global plastic collection with your business and access tools to communicate the environmental and social impact it’s making.

a smiling man contributing to environmental conservation by collecting plastic waste. He holds up a clear plastic bottle to the light, showcasing his find, while holding a mesh bag likely for gathering more litter.

Personal Membership

Empower collection communities to gather plastic materials and exchange it for money and access to social benefits.