Our commitment to our planet

Everything you need to know  about our plastics use, recycling and action on climate change

At Degree we’re on a mission to inspire the confidence in everyone to move more. With our planet under unprecedented pressure, outdoor physical activity is one of the many aspects of daily life that can be directly impacted by the environmental emergency we face.

As one of the world’s biggest deodorant brands, it’s our priority to do everything we can to protect the outdoor spaces and places in which we all move. Our goal is to minimize our impact on the world around us, so that everyone can keep moving safely. 

We’re committed to taking steps to help protect the planet, by helping you to make more sustainable choices. We’re taking a holistic approach, looking at our complete value chain and working with our partners to help solve the challenges. We are working collaboratively to reduce the production of greenhouse gases that lead to climate change, and to tackle the plastic waste that is polluting our environment.

At least 25% of the plastic we use will come from a recycled source (also known as ‘post consumer recycled’ material or PCR).

Reducing plastic waste

What are our ambitions?

At Rexona we’re committed to minimizing our use of virgin and single-use plastics wherever possible. To achieve this, we’re continually looking for ways to improve our design and manufacturing, to develop innovative packaging that uses better plastic and produces less waste.

How are we making a difference?

In the US we’re aiming for a 15% reduction in the weight of plastic we use in our range of men’s deodorant sticks by 2022. We’re also currently implementing a new lighter weight stick which will contain recycled plastic (PCR) to reduce our use of virgin plastic. And we’re working with retailers to ensure that they choose fully recyclable options for our secondary packaging, which is the additional material used to protect our products during transportation and storage.

Increasing our use of PCR Materials

What are our ambitions?

PCR is short for post-consumer recycled. Put simply, it’s plastic that has already been recycled and is ready to be re-used again – keeping plastic waste away from landfill. Across Unilever, we’re aiming for all our packs to contain as much PCR material as possible, both plastic and aluminum. Our bold ambition is to include 25% PCR material across our complete range of products by 2025. The demand for PCR materials is growing, but it’s still unavailable in some parts of the world; where that’s the case, we’re working with authorities to help them understand the value of PCR material and begin recycling the relevant materials. 

How are we making a difference?

We’re working to increase the use of PCR material in all our deodorants. In Europe and Latin America we’re currently introducing PCR in our roll-ons, while in North America we’re doing the same with our stick deodorants. We’re also exploring the possibility of using PCR in our aerosol spray nozzles.  

It’s not just plastic; at Degree we’re pioneering the use of PCR aluminum in our aerosols. In Germany we’ve launched an award-winning aerosol can that features 25% recycled aluminum and is 14% lighter than its previous equivalent. In order to introduce PCR aluminum to other countries, Unilever has partnered with Tubex, one of our aerosol can manufacturers. Together we’re working to increase the use of PCR aluminum in our aerosols without impacting the functionality of the can. The availability of PCR aluminum is also a challenge, as there’s currently not enough recycled aluminum of stable and reliable quality – but we're working hard with our suppliers to scale up where possible.

Making recycling easier

What are our ambitions?

Our aim is for all our deodorant packaging to be recyclable by 2025. We’re always on the lookout for innovative recycling materials to incorporate into our bottles and cans. And we’re working to improve access to recycling, which often differs from state to state, and country to country depending on local facilities, infrastructure and regulations. Our ambition is to help make recycling simple and accessible for everyone, and to create a future where everyone can recycle their deodorants.

How are we making a difference?

We’re particularly passionate about raising awareness that our aerosols can be infinitely recycled. Many people don’t realize that aerosol cans are made from aluminum, which is a sustainable material that can be recycled forever with no loss of quality. To help spread the word we’re supporting organizations such as How2Recycle.org (H2R), who are developing straightforward and consistent recycling messages for US and CA. 

Improving access to recycling is also a crucial factor. The availability of recycling facilities varies across the world, and even state to state in the US, so we’re supporting international trade organizations such as APR (the Association of Plastic Recyclers) who promote the development of the plastics recycling industry.