Saying goodbye to problematic plastics

Slalom’s commitment to eliminating problematic plastics for a sustainable future

Photo by Lawrence Crayton on Unsplash

By Casey Brandon and Meagan Breidert

The impact of plastic waste

Plastic pollution is one of the most important environmental and social challenges of our time, sparking conversations from beach vacations to corporate lunchrooms, mailboxes, and online shopping carts.

Plastic is used in every facet of our lives. Of the seven billion tons of plastic waste generated globally, less than 10% has been recycled; in 2021, plastic cutlery was among the top ten items found on beaches worldwide, highlighting the persistence of plastic pollution in our environment.

In contrast, plastics also support a variety of innovations and have life-saving applications, such as in medical devices or surgical procedures. So, the question remains: how do we balance the immense good with the unnecessary waste?​

At Slalom, we’re committed to building better tomorrows for all. This includes fostering a pollution-free environment where communities thrive, nature is respected, and sunset beach walks do not include a poke in the foot by a plastic fork. That’s why we’ve pledged to eliminate the most problematic and unnecessary plastic in our operations.

Problematic plastics, as defined by the U.S. Plastics Pact, include items that are unnecessary, non-recyclable, or harmful to the environment, such as single-use plastic cutlery and polystyrene packaging. These plastics are particularly damaging because they remain in the environment for centuries, breaking down into microplastics that contaminate water sources and impact all living creatures. That’s why we’re actively working to remove these plastics from our operations.

Slalom’s commitment

At Slalom, we commit to addressing the global challenge of plastic pollution. We will do this by executing on the following goals:

Eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic materials from our operations and fully transition to reusable or compostable alternatives by 2030.

​This commitment was inspired not only by scientific research but also by the hands-on efforts of Slalom Green Teams, who donned aprons, gloves, and masks to conduct waste audits in our offices, diligently sorting through our refuse. They found single-use plastics making their way into our landfill bins, recycling bins, and compost bins. Recognizing the need for greater education and behavioral change, we determined the best route was to work to eliminate this waste stream altogether.

Turning words into action

With our commitment in place, our focus now is on implementing changes. Addressing the use of problematic and unnecessary plastics in our operations involves multiple stakeholders, each requiring a targeted approach.

This includes collaborating with our procurement team to revise purchasing policies, such as incorporating standard clauses that prioritize environmentally friendly products. For instance, we’re transitioning to Climate Pledge Friendly items like bamboo coffee stirrers, which are sustainable alternatives to plastic. Most recently, the procurement and facilities team partnered to procure fully recyclable or compostable coffee pods. These initiatives reflect our dedication to environmental responsibility and align with our broader sustainability goals. ​

To drive behavioral change and foster a culture of reuse in our offices, it is critical to support our team members with the right resources. We support this shift by providing new hires with reusable water bottles and ensuring that every office is stocked with mugs and glassware.

To gauge the impact of removing disposable items from our offices, we conducted a few April Fool’s Day experiments. Despite some puzzled colleagues searching for disposables, there were no complaints. This positive response reinforces our commitment to continue these efforts. We have even seen a few of our offices in Australia and New Zealand leading the way by completely eliminating single-use plastic cutlery and transitioning to all reusable or compostable items. We know it can be done.

These measures are all part of our comprehensive plan to ensure that our commitment translates into meaningful and lasting change.

Join us on this journey

We’re not alone in our commitment to reducing plastic waste; many of our clients and the communities where we operate are taking similar steps. For example, Washington State, home to our headquarters, has implemented a ban on single-use plastic carryout bags. We aim to align our efforts with these initiatives, demonstrating our dedication to environmental responsibility.

Our pledge to eliminate problematic plastics reflects our commitment to a more sustainable future and underscores our support for the well-being of the communities we serve. At Slalom, we’re working toward a future where the only thing you collect on the beach is seashells (and not the plastic ones!).

We invite Slalom team members, our clients, and our partners to join us in this journey. Check out our environmental impact homepage for more information on how we are prioritizing sustainability in our business.

*Slalom is a fiercely human business and technology consulting company that teams with leaders who expect more. So we bring more.*