To tackle the plastic problem, businesses need to rapidly shift to single-use alternatives, move towards circular business models, invest in waste infrastructure and ensure a better consumer experience.
“I’m incredibly excited to join forces with SAP to improve the health of our ocean by bringing together the energy of our eXXpedition community and our scientific research with SAP’s innovative technologies!” Emily Penn, eXXpedition Co-founder
The partnership will help create a cleaner ocean by 2030 by sharing data and insights from our voyages to provide customers, non-governmental agencies (NGOs), governments and partners with the tools, insights and solutions needed to eliminate waste, maximise resource productivity and help raise awareness of the need to create a cleaner ocean for all. SAP will also be supporting eXXpedition in creating a custom-built digital platform to educate people on actions they can take to reduce plastic waste in their local communities.
“Industry has a huge role to play in addressing the challenges our ocean faces. The most pressing problem is how to turn off the tap to plastic pollution; and the next years will be spent doing just that – trying to prevent plastic getting into the ocean in the first place. For us to do that we need everybody on board and in particular, we need businesses to come to the table and take a lead, as SAP are doing.” Emily Penn, eXXpedition Co-founder
SAP Plastics Cloud, enabled by the Ariba Network, allows brands to connect with new recycled plastics and alternative supply sources. About 40 percent of plastic produced globally is used in product packaging, but less than one fifth of this plastic is recycled, creating serious environmental and human health problems.
Around $10 billion worth of packaging flows through the Ariba Network annually. “Even a small portion of global spend on packaging redirected to pre-certified suppliers of recycled plastics and alternatives can have a tremendous impact on the environment,” says Stephen Jamieson, Head of Sustainable Business Innovation for SAP in EMEA.
We’re incredibly excited to have SAP and their latest technology onboard, to create innovative solutions to tackle the ocean plastic problem. We’re also thrilled to have Natasha Pergl, Global Sustainability Lead for Innovation Services and Solutions at SAP onboard our current voyage from Galapagos to Easter Island, who will be sharing the insights from her voyage with business leaders and NGOs to help shape the solutions and services being developed at SAP.