Step-by-step-Plan
Tackling your use of (single-use) plastic can be challenging. Our suggested five-step-plan supports you in starting your plastic-reduction journey and enables you to manage your plastic reduction effectively.
LEARN
Know your baseline and gather data on your single-use plastic consumption by undertaking a self-assessment with our free template.
- How much/which kinds of plastic do you use and in which operational departments?
- What can you control immediately (products purchased for use within your company)?
- Which types of single-use plastic waste are generated by contractors and suppliers?
- Why are certain plastic products being used (e.g. local regulations, brand standards or out of habit)?
You will find further information and supporting tools here.
PLAN
Create a reduction strategy which should include clear ambitions and targets.
What do you want to achieve?
What is the timeframe?
- Set a target: The goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. Setting rather unspecific goals won’t help you or your staff to achieve the target.
- Bad example of a goal: We want to reduce our plastic consumption.
- Good example of a goal: We want to reduce the consumption of plastic bottles by 20% by the end of 2023.
- Look for the quick wins, plastic products that are easy to eliminate or to avoid (e.g. offering straws only on request).
- Prioritise your goals, starting with the ones what are easy to achieve and have the biggest impact.
- Consider the R-principles above when planning your reduction strategy.
3. INVOLVE
Team up with your staff and suppliers and involve them from the beginning.
Involve relevant staff in the developing of the plastic waste reduction strategy and goals and ask for their feedback.
Communicate the strategy and targets to all staff and suppliers as this will help them to understand what you are trying to achieve and thus can support your strategy.
See module “Communication” for further information and tipps.
MEASURE and MONITOR
Measure your plastic consumption and waste and don’t forget to monitor your progress regularly.
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- Set a baseline for further monitoring.
- Monitor your progress: your achievements and single-use plastic consumption and waste statistics
- Analyze the results: What is going well? What needs to be improved and why?
COMMUNICATE
Communicate changes and updates with guests by using different communication channels. Ask your guests for their support by giving specific examples.
See module “Communication” for further information and tipps.
