Harmonized Responsible Sourcing Framework for Recycled Plastics
Overview
The Harmonized Responsible Sourcing Framework for Recycled Plastics (“the Harmonized Framework”) is the first global effort to establish a harmonized and actionable framework to implement responsible sourcing practices for all actors in the recycled plastics value chain.
The Harmonized Framework is designed to create a practical approach to improve responsible sourcing practices that can be adopted by all stakeholders. It is informed by the perspectives of informal waste sector workers and waste pickers and developed to focus on their needs.
We are sharing the first set of tools and resources to support the implementation of the Harmonized Framework and improve responsible sourcing practices.
Highlights
Contributions by over 40 organizations, including waste picker organizations, global corporations, investors, recycling companies, and civil society organizations
Draws from existing human rights and responsible sourcing frameworks, including the Fair Circularity Principles, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and NextWave Plastics’ Framework for Socially Responsible Ocean-Bound Plastic Supply Chains
Aims to protect the rights and livelihoods of informal waste sector workers and waste pickers in the value chain, dispel ambiguity of what responsible sourcing means to different actors, and reduce administrative and regulatory burden for businesses in the plastics value chain
Key Thematic Areas
The Harmonized Framework aligns definitions, key thematic areas and indicators to drive local solutions and track progress across five key thematic areas:
Why the Framework Matters Now
The Harmonized Framework aims to:
- Protect their rights and livelihood
- Acknowledge their crucial contribution to plastic recycling
- Recognize their status as a marginalized group in the value chain
The Harmonized Framework helps meet the increasing demands of regulatory requirements such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and EU regulations, ensuring consistency and reducing administrative burdens.
Adopting responsible sourcing practices enhances brand reputation and meets consumer and investor expectations for sustainable and ethical operations.
Enhanced transparency and traceability will optimize supply chains, ensuring a steady supply of responsibly sourced plastics while safeguarding human rights.
When value chains become more transparent, robust and responsible, through compliance with national and international regulations, more investments will be unlocked towards recycling value chains.
Our Next Steps
The first set of tools and resources aligned with the Harmonized Framework is now available. A second set of tools will be published by mid-2025 to further support implementing the Harmonized Framework and improve responsible sourcing practices.
The Harmonized Framework will be implemented in at least four key countries (India, Indonesia, Kenya, and Viet Nam) under the Responsible Sourcing Initiative. Insights gained from this implementation will inform the next edition of the Harmonized Framework, ensuring it evolves to better address challenges across the recycled plastics value chain.
Under the Responsible Sourcing Initiative, support will be provided to brands, investors, and other companies as they adopt and implement the Harmonized Framework to improve responsible sourcing practices, and feedback will be gathered to inform future updates.
Feedback and Collaboration
The launch of the Harmonized Framework comes at a critical time, with ongoing negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution and the marine environment. All actors have a part to play in ensuring inclusive and socially responsible supply chains.
Share your feedback and join the conversation.