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Plant Based Products Council Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC – The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) today marked its one-year anniversary with a look back at its recent accomplishments and a look ahead to its emerging role as a key player in the growing bioeconomy debate. PBPC, which was founded by a group of forward-thinking businesses and environmental leaders, officially launched on January 29, 2019 and is working to guide the global economy toward more sustainable and responsible consumer products and packaging through greater use of bio-based materials.
Since the council’s launch in January 2019, the PBPC has already grown to more than 70 corporate members comprised of businesses large and small, from across the United States, who are committed to advancing the bioeconomy. In November, the PBPC announced Jessica Bowman as its new Executive Director to help lead its growing organization and advocacy efforts. Bowman came to PBPC with many years of experience working for associations in both the chemical and aviation industries, with a strong focus on developing and growing advocacy and policy programs.
“Over the past year, we have made significant progress in raising awareness and advancing the conversation, particularly among policymakers, for moving our country toward more sustainable and responsible consumer products and packaging,” Bowman said today. “Bio-based products and materials offer us the opportunity to harness American innovation to deliver a sustainable future for not only our environment, but our economy. The PBPC is bringing together an ever-growing number of companies and stakeholders to do just that, and we look forward to building on this record of success in 2020.”
Since inception, the PBPC has worked to:
- Build public awareness of the vast economic, environmental and social benefits of bio-based products.
- Drive collaboration between businesses, governments and non-profits to incorporate principles of a circular bioeconomy into consumer products and industrials.
- Advocate for policies that encourage renewable products.
- Connect and collaborate with stakeholders throughout the bio-based product value chain.
These efforts include:
- Highlighting a number of opportunities for the federal government to expand the U.S. Bioeconomy, such as:
- Eliminating regulatory barriers to increased bioproduct manufacturing;
- Working with states and municipalities to support industries in the bioeconomy; and
- Supporting the development of infrastructure that will facilitate better composting access for communities across the country.
- Becoming a proud signatory of the first annual New Plastics Economy Global Commitment – published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme – along with its member companies, to continue seeking out pathways for the advancement of the circular economy.
- Publishing PBPC’s Accountability Blog aimed at setting the record straight on bioplastics and differentiating between myth and fact in media coverage from the likes of National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, and others.
- Commissioning valuable polling on American consumers’ demand of sustainable products, which found that 70% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats try to make sustainable choices. However, almost half (48%) cited convenience and a lack of awareness or ability as barriers to doing better.
- Polls such as these will remain valuable for PBPC and its member companies to shape the future of bio-based products.
“Working across party lines and industries and spreading awareness of these issues will rapidly drive development of the bioeconomy that is necessary to ensure America’s competitive edge in the growing global marketplace,” Bowman concluded.
PBPC’s membership includes businesses large and small, from across the United States, that produce, distribute, or sell products/packaging from renewable bio-based inputs, as well as those organizations that have made related public commitments to build a more sustainable future. In addition to its membership, the PBPC features an Advisory Board consisting of leading environmental organizations and NGOs.
PBPC continues to recruit both corporate and Advisory Board members.
Learn more at http://pbpc.com
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The Plant Based Products Council is a group of like-minded organizations working to guide the global economy toward more sustainable and responsible consumer products and packaging through greater use of plant-based materials.