Sustainable Marketing and Management: Plastic Collective

This research examines the strategies used by Plastic Collective, a sustainable business focused on recycling plastic waste. It explores the importance of plastic recycling, sustainability-related issues faced by the company, and the role of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling in achieving a sustainable environment.

SUSTAINABLE MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT PLASTIC COLLECTIVE
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Background of Plastic Collective..................................................................................................................2
Importance of plastic collective...................................................................................................................2
Sustainability-Related Issues Faced by Plastic Collective.............................................................................3
Social entrepreneurship..............................................................................................................................5
Sustainable development theory.................................................................................................................5
Stakeholder theory......................................................................................................................................6
Analysis of Situation....................................................................................................................................6
Role of Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling................................................................................6
Planning..................................................................................................................................................6
Organizing...............................................................................................................................................7
Leading....................................................................................................................................................7
Controlling...............................................................................................................................................7
Recommendations, Conclusion and Future Strategies of Plastic collective.................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................9
Introduction
Environmental strategies of waste management in today’s business world is essential for the
protection of the various stakeholders of the firm. This research on the plastic collective firm is
essential to understand the various strategies used by the collective firms to safeguard the
environment against the menace of plastic pollution. The process of plastic collection is
attracting significant participants in the waste disposal business. This research implores the
issues organizations faces in the waste problems collections.
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Moreover, a sustainable business environment free from pollution is key to companies and
businesses nowadays. This study examines the strategies that Plastic collective company in
Australia has employed in the process of maintaining a sustainable environment free from
plastic waste disposal.
Background of Plastic Collective
Louise Hardman founded the Plastic Collective in 2016 in Australia. Plastic collective becomes
an innovation of recycling plastic through a shredder machine to protect the ocean from
pollution. The shredder reduced the pollution by preventing the plastic waste from being
absorbed into the ocean. Plastic collective becomes a solution of painful death of aquatic life
such as turtles from consuming the plastic wastes. Hardman, therefore, created a solution that
created a sustainable environment for both human and other living creatures. Plastic collective
based its principles on empowering people with knowledge, innovative ways, and reliable tools
to convert the toxic plastic content into unharmful components to the environment.
Importance of plastic collective
Plastic disposal to the environment is indeed harmful to society. Plastic collective initiative to
recycle the plastics instead of being dumped to the environment increase the sustainability of
the environment. Plastic recycling has improved the economy of the country in reducing the
usage of energy and destruction of the environmental economy, creating safe habitations. The
reduction of water pollution and air pollution through plastic recycling leads to consumption of
uncontaminated raw materials in the economy, thereby improving human health (Al Mamun et
al., 2018).
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Moreover, the recycling of plastic products in the economy leads to the conservation of natural
resources and energy, which increases the economy of the country. This is possible through
recycling the old waste products into new ones, thus reducing the production cost and
improving the economy of the country. The use of Plastic collective initiative by recycling
technology protects the environment creating a full awareness to individuals, organizations,
and industries to safeguard the environment from these harmful pollution activities (Kandziora
et al., 2019).
Plastic recycling also protects the forests and trees in general by reducing logging that is used to
make papers. This practice reduces the global warming effects and flooding’s as well as air
pollution to the environment (Miller and Spoolman, 2011). Plastic collective saves the economy
money for the companies that pay cash for the used plastics to be recycled into finished
products.
Sustainability-Related Issues Faced by Plastic Collective
Sustainable strategies focus on the opportunities that have been adopted by the plastic
collective to achieve a sustainable environment. Plastic collective sustainability measure is
aimed at improving the economic growth, protection, and preservation of the ecological
environment as well as improvement of the social welfare of human beings (Charter and
Tischner, 2017). The sustainable innovations strategies employed by the plastic collective is
quite essential due to the emerging force for change in the society and business environment.
The ability to transform the products, technology, and markets is viewed as an entrepreneurial
opportunity in the economical ways of production (Laszlo and Zhexembayeva, 2017).
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The plastic collective has employed sustainable innovation that has inspired the process of
environmental protection and preservation strategies that adds value to society. The company
achieves this through being responsible stewards to environmental life as well as being
economically responsible for conserving the ecological life. The ability of the plastic collective to
maintain an eco-friendly and sustainable environment is critical is improving the working
conditions and creating a positive surrounding environment aimed at sensitizing the public
towards environmental protection (Heidbreder et al., 2019). Plastic collective using the
machine Shredder is bringing life to the aquatic species. Moreover, this initiative helps the
people living in the coastal areas and around the water masses to enjoy a healthy environment.
Plastic collective strategies to remain relevant in its activities of environmental protection uses
the following strategies (Rochman et al., 2016). Empower, it believes that when people get the
right skills and knowledge, they tend to perform smartly and innovate in various ways to solve
the problems in society. The innovation process of building up the shredder came from this
strategy.
Moreover, the company is committed to reaching out to the public through public involvement
and education on the usefulness to keep the environment safe for habitation. The use of
workshops sessions to sensitize the public in need to adopt a green technology has helped the
firm meet its goals (Hopewell et al., 2009). Creating awareness, this is another strategy that is
employed by the company to communicate to its stakeholders on the importance of
transforming the plastic wastes into useful products in society. Overall, the plastic collective has
a green marketing plan of enhancing sustainability through plastic waste conversion into useful
products in society. Plastic collective strategies to the various stakeholders related to the firm,
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including individuals, groups, and entities have been provided for by the company. Moreover,
the controlling system should be improved by establishing a proper communicating network
among stakeholders(Flammer, 2015). Also, as the financial budget heavily depends on
donations and sponsors, this organization should coordinate with producers in order to share
the responsibility for waste collection and recycling, thus reducing the operating cost.
Relevant theories and Discussion of strategies
Social entrepreneurship
This theory advocate for the conversion of resources into useful products that enhance the
value of the society (Dees, 2017). The founders of the company thought of the reasons to
create value to the society through social entrepreneurship theory to solve the menace of
plastic pollution on the marine life. This idea has been made possible using the shredder
machine to solve the plastic waste problem.
Sustainable development theory
This theory discusses the development need that focuses on meeting the need of the society
without affecting the lives of future generations (Boström et al., 2018). Since the concept of
sustainable development is based on economic, social development, and ecological protection
for future generations, it has gained an essential recognition in today’s business environment.
The environmental issue is gaining attention in the conservation of the environment, especially
the dumping of plastic products into the environment. According to Webb et al. (2013),
Excessive disposal of plastic materials into the environment adversely affect the ecological life
and the natural resources obtained in the environment.
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Stakeholder theory
This theory recognizes the purpose of a business to address the needs of the interested parties
in the business operations (Jones et al., 2017). The ideal reason for a business to create value
for their stakeholders is informed by the reasons for improving the shareholder's interest in the
business activities. The plastic collective is seen to be keeping attention to this theory through
working with the communities for proper infrastructure and collection of waste by providing
machines. For the corporations and its competitors, the company has a Plastic Neutral program
through which the plastics the company use in their operations can fund to deliver and operate
the Shredder machines (Staniškis, 2012). This is beneficial for the firms as well as they can get
rid of their plastic waste.
Analysis of the Situation
Role of Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling
The main components of management consist of Planning, Organizing, leading, and Controlling.
These essential functions help an organization to achieve their desired goals, which eventually
leads to the growth of the firm.
Planning
Involves the process of identifying the various strategies, both short and long-term aimed at
achieving the goals of the business (Mani and Singh, 2016). Plastic collective engages in
planning the process of the sustainable environment by transforming the harmful effects of
plastic into the useful product to the social benefits. The various goals of the company to
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reduce waste led to strategies of acquiring a shredder machine and engaging the public as well
as other sponsors in realizing this goal.
Organizing
This is another function of management that deals with putting together the required resources
in the management process in order to meet the goals of the firm. The plastic collective has all
its resources well organized in fields of management, technical, social, and training team to
incorporate sustainable business development. The company is affiliated to various companies
through partners such as coca cola (Bates, 2019). The main aim of the company is to maintain a
sustainable environment has been able to achieve this through the right organizing strategies.
Leading
This is the third task of management, which involves linking with employees on an
interpersonal level. It involves communicating, motivating, inspiring, and encouraging the
employees towards achieving the goals. Plastic collective leadership is visionary to create a
plastic-free society, thereby improving the sustainability of the environment (Estes, 2009). The
company teamwork, shared vision, and dreams of a sustainable future generation environment
is critical in achieving its goals.
Controlling
This is the most critical stage in the management process. It involves a process of establishing
standards, measuring them, and looking at the results in order to devise measures of corrective
actions (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). The plastic collective focuses on this function through
effective communications strategies with its stakeholders and helping them achieve their goals.
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Recommendations, Conclusion and Future Strategies of Plastic collective
The harmful effects of plastic bags on the ecological life, especially wildlife and marine animals,
is hurting the economy. The disposal of these waste products is non-biodegradable in the soil,
making it hard to break down or decompose. Therefore, the government should solve this
problem through stringent rules and regulations against the disposal of plastics to the
environment. Though plastic collective initiative to recycle the plastic through a shredder, the
use of plastics is not ideal for a real change in the economy. Thus, the government should ban
the use of plastic bags on a large scale by closing the factories that manufacture plastic bags.
The plastic collective as a sustainable company has addressed the menace of plastic pollution
through its initiatives to recycle the plastic. As the company plan to launch a program in the
Pacific Ocean country, the strategy of the program is to allow the polluters to fund the project
by paying before dumping their waste. Moreover, the company is strategizing on sensitizing the
public further on the effects of plastic waste on the environment through workshops. Further,
the plastic collective should focus on reducing the cost of the shredders in a move to make it
affordable to industries, factories, and businesses.
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