Nestlé, alongside Borealis and Walmart, has joined nine other businesses to become part of the core partners group for the New Plastics Economy.

The New Plastics Economy is an initiative which brings together key stakeholders to rethink and redesign the future of plastics. The other businesses supporting this group include the Coca-Cola Company, Amcor, Danone, Mars, Novamont, L’Oreal, Pepsi Co, Unilever, and Veolia.

Beginning with plastic packaging, the core partners have all committed to working towards building and scaling a circular economy in which there is no waste.

Nestlé, one of the largest food companies in the world, has a portfolio of more than 2,000 brands and is present in 189 countries. Nestlé’s products include coffee, pet care, infant nutrition and health science, dairy products and ice cream, prepared dishes and cooking aids, confectionery and water.

Nestlé global head of sustainable packaging Véronique Cremades-Mathis said it joined the New Plastics Economy as collaboration and collective action are critical to achieving system-wide change to the way businesses think about and engage with plastics.

“At Nestlé, we don’t want any of our packaging, including plastics, to become waste or pollution,” Cremades-Mathis said.

“The New Plastics Economy initiative represents an important catalyst on the journey to achieving a circular economy for plastics, and we are pleased to be able to contribute to this work through our expanded role as a core partner.”

Borealis, a global provider of innovative plastics solutions, aims to lead the industry to a future circular economy in which plastics are reused and recycled – and never wasted.

Borealis executive vice-president of polyolefins, innovation and technology Lucrèce Foufopoulos said the company joining the group will help accelerate the transition to a circular economy for plastics.

“Borealis has made firm commitments to significantly increase the volume and range of our circular plastic solutions. We are equally committed to working with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to achieve this essential transformation to a new and circular future of plastics,” Foufopoulos said.

Walmart sustainability senior director Zach Freeze mentioned that the company joining the New Plastics Economy supports its aspirational goal of achieving zero plastic waste.

“Our continued collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation builds upon our work with suppliers to move towards 100 per cent recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable packaging, use less virgin plastic, and help educate customers on how to recycle more,” Freeze added.

The three new Core Partners are also signatories of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which unites more than 400 organisations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source.