Corporate transparency on plastics and sustainability continues to strengthen globally, with a growing number of companies disclosing information about plastic use, packaging, recycling, and environmental impacts.
According to a new report released by CDP, corporate plastics disclosures increased significantly between 2023 and 2025, reflecting greater awareness of plastics-related risks, regulatory requirements, and sustainability opportunities.
The report revealed that more than 22,000 companies submitted environmental data through CDP’s reporting platform in 2025, including approximately 4,400 first-time participants. The organization’s plastics questionnaire covers key areas such as plastic polymers, plastic packaging, durable plastic products, and end-of-life management practices.
CDP found that the number of companies reporting plastics-related information grew by 44% during the two-year period, reaching over 4,200 reporting organizations. The increase highlights the growing importance of plastics management within corporate sustainability strategies and reflects expanding regulatory frameworks in several regions.
Manufacturing emerged as the largest reporting sector, while retail companies were among the most active in addressing plastics-related challenges. Industry experts attribute this trend to rising consumer awareness, increasing regulatory pressure, and stronger commitments toward circular economy initiatives.
The report also highlighted a substantial increase in plastics-related targets. More than 3,700 plastic packaging and sustainability targets were reported in 2025, with over half of participating organizations already implementing formal plastics reduction or management goals.
Companies are increasingly focusing on improving packaging recyclability, increasing recycled content usage, reducing virgin plastic consumption, and enhancing end-of-life waste management systems. Packaging remains the most common area for target-setting, followed by plastic products, recycling initiatives, polymer management, and extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs.
However, challenges remain. Some sectors continue to face difficulties related to recycling infrastructure, technology limitations, and evolving regulatory requirements. Businesses also cited global economic pressures and supply-chain disruptions as factors affecting sustainability progress.
As governments worldwide continue to introduce stricter environmental regulations and circular economy policies, analysts expect corporate plastics reporting and sustainability commitments to expand further. The report suggests that transparent disclosure practices will play an increasingly important role in helping organizations manage risks, improve resource efficiency, and meet long-term sustainability objectives.
#CDP #polymer #polymersglobal #modernpolymersglobal #modernpolymers
