The oceans are drowning in plastic. We are helping to solve this environmental disaster by giving value to waste, collecting ocean-bound plastic in coastal areas and supplying the recycled resource back into the industry. But even if your company or organization doesn't use our recycled material, you can still do your part and actively help us by becoming a Changemaker. The Road to 1 Billion Bottles impact program is designed for companies and organizations that want to make a difference. 

As a Changemaker you will help accelerate #tide's environmental and social impact. With your financial support, we can invest in plastic waste collection in coastal and island communities heavily impacted by plastic pollution and left to fend for themselves.

How to become a changemaker

It’s easy to join us on the Road to 1 Billion Bottles. You can choose from 4 levels of support to help prevent plastic waste from polluting the ocean. The benefits vary based on the contribution you choose to make. The higher the contribution the more tailored your impact can be.

The possibilities range from:

• the Coral package, which which supports us in collecting and processing the equivalent of 300,000 plastic bottles (3 tonnes) per year.

• the Seahorse package – the equivalent of 1 million plastic bottles (10 tonnes) per year.

• the Turtle package – the equivalent of 3 million bottles (30 tonnes) per year.

• and the Whale package – the equivalent of 5 million bottles (50 tonnes) per year.

You will get access to #tide’s network and community as well as selected marketing assets to communicate your participation in the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program and the impact associated with your contribution. Depending on your level of support, you can also sponsor a dedicated beach clean-up and/or a specific #tide® project.

Why does #tide need support?

We strongly believe that the plastic pollution crisis can only be solved through a circular economy.

It is economically challenging to build waste management systems from scratch, especially on remote islands, because of the logistical challenges involved. We launched the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program to support the local communities, giving them financial incentives for the collection and fund the establishment and maintenance of efficient ocean-bound plastic recovery infrastructure.

Everyone in the supply chain benefits from the program: the people living along coastlines and on islands, the workers in social enterprises and sorting facilities, and the contributors.

You can support our efforts. It’s worth it: The recyclable plastic we collect becomes a new raw material with a carbon footprint up to 80% lower than its virgin plastic counterpart, according to an independent LCA-study conducted by the established Swiss environmental consultancy firm Carbotech.

How does your business benefit from it?

With your support, we can further develop our activities to address plastic pollution. You contribute to the collection of ocean-bound plastic and can communicate your engagement to your network. We support you with pictures and information to help you communicate your participation transparently.

You respond to your customers’ expectations

Sustainability has become an important factor in consumer choice. According to the IBM Institute for Business Value, 84% of global consumers say sustainability is important when choosing a brand, with 55% considering it very or extremely important. A credible sustainability strategy can help companies respond to these changing customer expectations.

You respond to your employees’ expectations

Environmental and social responsibility also matter to employees. According to the IBM Institute for Business Value, 7 out of 10 workers say they are more likely to stay with an employer that has a good reputation for environmental sustainability. Nearly 3 out of 4 also expect their employers to take action on social responsibility issues. A credible sustainability strategy can therefore help companies respond to expectations among their workforce.

You can strengthen your corporate reputation

Corporate social responsibility can play an important role in how a company is perceived. Research by the Reputation Institute found that 42% of how people feel about a company was based on their perceptions of its corporate social responsibility practices, including citizenship, governance and workplace performance.

Your contribution demonstrates your support for the Road to 1 Billion Bottles and its collection activities. We provide you with documented information about your contribution and the associated amount of plastic collected and processed, which you can use to communicate your engagement to your community and stakeholders.

Where we operate

FAQ

What is the Road to 1 Billion Bottles?

The Road to 1 Billion Bottles is an impact program created by #tide that allows companies and organizations to support #tide’s activities to collect plastic waste and therefore prevent it from entering the oceans. The program is designed to increase #tide’s social and environmental impact and fortify the CSR initiatives of organizations and businesses.

What are the advantages of the Road to 1 Billion Bottles?

Our program aims to accelerate #tide's preventative efforts by collecting plastic waste before it ends up in the ocean and accelerating the transition to a circular economy for plastics. The Road to 1 Billion Bottles program acts in favor of the environment, but also for the communities who have joined #tide. The contributors of the Road to 1 Billion Bottles do not only create an environmental and social impact, but by positioning themselves as brands that care about these issues, they also fortify their image, which helps drive sales and customer loyalty.

We do not sell plastic products, why should we care about plastic pollution in Southeast Asia?

Plastic pollution is a problem that cannot be solved by a single company or organization alone. The key to success lies in collaboration. To this end, #tide® is building an alliance of stakeholders, called Changemakers, who are willing to take action for the oceans. Every year, 12 million tons of plastic waste end up in the world's oceans. This litter is severely suffocating the oceans, the lungs of our planet… It’s high time we did something about it.

That is why Tide Ocean was created in 2019: a solution from Switzerland, for the world with the goal of ridding the oceans of plastic waste. Together with scientists from the Swiss Institute of Materials Engineering and Plastics Processing (IWK OST), #tide has developed an award-winning upcycling method to reprocess plastic waste and return it to the cycle as a premium material. A solution for the future.

However, sourcing this waste is laborious and grueling. The weather is either hot and dry or wet and sultry; especially during the rainy season when a particularly large amount of plastic washes into the sea. In addition, where the marine plastic problem is greatest, there is often a lack of infrastructure, clean waste management, and know-how in dealing with plastic waste. Western countries are also responsible, exporting their plastic waste and thus also the associated problem to the global South. 

How does #tide decide which regions to focus on?

Paradise regions in Thailand or Mexico need to be protected and the local populations need to be supported in dealing with this problem. That is exactly why #tide is active in those regions. Waste is given a value; while #tide’s commitment to the environment is important, it should also serve a social purpose. Because #tide and its partners want to exemplify sustainability.

How can I verify #tide’s claims about where the plastic was collected?

#tide uses tracking technology to track its material from the moment the plastic is collected to the end customer. This solution allows #tide to generate material passports which document the journey of the material. Contributors of the program will receive certified proofs of collection through this platform for the plastic they helped prevent from entering the ocean.

What will happen to the collected plastic?

Once collected, the plastic is sorted at #tide’s social enterprises, washed and shredded into flakes. The flakes are then further processed and transformed into plastic granules made of 100% ocean-bound plastic, which will be used to create sustainable products.

What is the difference between the Road to 1 Billion Bottles and plastic credits? Is this an offsetting program (like plastic credits)?

We are not asking you to offset your plastic footprint through our Road to 1 Billion Bottles program. Instead, we are asking companies and organizations that care about the state of the oceans to help us prevent more plastic from polluting the seas. You can do this by joining our program and becoming a Changemaker. And if you want to take your impact even further, you can also make a difference by using our recycled material in your products.

Can I contribute to a specific project?

Yes, depending on the size of your contribution, our team will propose a list of projects from which you can choose.