OUR CHARTER

These are our founding principles.

Each member company has committed to the following Eight Principles as the foundation for their practice of decreasing the volume of mismanaged plastic waste before it enters the ocean. Members of NextWave Plastics are dedicated to demonstrating the commercial viability and advantages of integrating ocean-bound plastic into their supply chains in the context of heightened consumer, stakeholder, and policy-maker awareness of the environmental impacts of marine plastic.

1. Transparent
   In all of its actions, NextWave will be open, completely transparent, and accessible both internally with respect to Members and externally with respect to the public at large.
   

2. Open-Source
   NextWave will utilize and consistently employ the principles of a creative common approach both internally and externally by taking all actions jointly and by donating to the public domain and to the public at large all of its publications, processes, copyrights and other joint intellectual property, and results.
   

3. Science-Based
   NextWave will utilize and consistently employ the best available peer-reviewed science and will leverage the expertise of external experts such as TCI’s Impact Metrics Working Group to review NextWave’s efforts and results, and to counsel and advise NextWave through public recommendations also based on the best available, peer-reviewed science.
   

4. Cooperative
   Recognizing the critical nature of its invaluable work, NextWave will seek to align its efforts with other organizations and initiatives including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Initiative’s Clean Seas Campaign.
   

5. Complementary
   NextWave will minimize its social, environmental, and financial costs while maximizing its benefits to the environment, to the public at large, and to its Members.
   

6. Enduring
   NextWave will evolve together with its long-term Initiative to create a lasting reduction in the amount of plastic flowing into waterways and the oceans.
   

7. Accountable
   To demonstrate and document NextWave’s impact to industry, government, and global audiences, NextWave will utilize and consistently employ objective performance measures of volume and weight of reduced and recovered ocean-bound plastics and marine litter, of the amounts of original plastics replaced by Members with materials derived from ocean-bound plastics, of the anticipated community and environmental benefits and of those actually achieved, and of stakeholders’ heightened awareness of ocean-bound plastics and marine litter.
   

8. Collaborative
   NextWave is committed to a) working jointly and collaboratively rather than under a single leadership or Member’s direction, b) achieving equity in the burdens it places on its Members, and c) sensitivity to Members’ needs and concerns to achieve lasting, win-win outcomes that benefit the Members while benefiting the environment and the public at large. While Members collaborate, they also respect the intellectual property and proprietary information of their peers, and will be vigilant to avoid even the appearance of collusive or anti-competitive behavior. As part of this, Members agree to not unduly solicit direct business relationships with other Members.