Waste and Opportunity 2020:
Searching for Corporate Leadership
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of packaging and waste management in the United States, including unique original research on trends and policy. For more information on specific corporate actions on plastic pollution, see our 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard.
Single-use packaging has grown to be a major component of the four million to 12 million tons of plastic trash that escapes capture and is swept into waterways annually. To address these pollution concerns, as well as reduce the use of extractive resources, companies must prioritize a shift away from wasteful single-use packaging and move toward circular models that prioritize significant, absolute reductions in overall use of plastic, as well as promote reusability, recyclability, or compostability in their packaging.
This study measures the progress of 50 large companies in the beverage, quick-service restaurant, consumer packaged goods, and retail sectors on six core pillars where swift action is needed to reduce plastic pollution: 1) Packaging Design, 2) Reusable Packaging, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Packaging Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. The report provides letter grades on the 50 companies, based on their quantitative performance on these six core pillars. The grades inform stakeholders and investors about which companies are leading and lagging in creating sustainable packaging. Also, the report’s criteria provide tangible metrics to help companies continue to improve their packaging management strategies as they enter the new decade.
BIG COMPANIES, LOW GRADES
| COMPANY | OVERALL GRADE |
|---|---|
| unilever pLc | B- |
| nestle nestlé Waters nA | C+ |
| nestlé | C+ |
| Colgate-palmolive Co. | C+ |
| Coca-Cola Co. | C+ |
| procter & Gamble | C |
| diageo pLC | C |
| Keurig dr pepper | C |
| johnson & johnson | C- |
| mcdonalds | C- |
| Clorox Co. | C- |
| starbucks | C- |
| Anheuser-busch inbev | C- |
| target Corp. | D+ |
| Kellogg Co. | D+ |
| pepsiCo | D+ |
| Walmart inc. | D+ |
| Campbell soup Co. | D+ |
| Kimberly-Clark Co. | D+ |
| Wendy’s | D+ |
| General mills | D |
| tim hortons | D |
| heineken Co. | D |
| Kroger Co. | D |
| dunkin’ brands | D |
| mondelēz international | D |
| burger King | D |
| KFC | D |
| molson Coors beverage Co. | D |
| monster beverage Corp. | D |
| Costco | D- |
| Chipotle mexican Grill, inc. | D- |
| Kraft heinz Co. | D- |
| pizza hut | D- |
| taco bell | D- |
| dean Foods | F |
| hershey’s Co. | F |
| Conagra brands inc. | F |
| Whole Foods market | F |
| pilgrim’s pride Corp. | F |
| hormel Foods | F |
| papa john’s | F |
| smithfield Foods, inc. | F |
| tyson Foods, inc. | F |
| j.m. smucker Co. | F |
| boston beer Co. | F |
| united natural Foods | F |
| domino’s pizza inc. | F |
| jack in the box | F |
| national beverage | F |
