Written by:

Future Group

25 September 2026

Plastic pollution is one of the defining environmental challenges of our time. It affects oceans and waterways, wildlife, communities and economies. And because most plastics are made from fossil fuels, it is also closely connected to climate change. 

For long term investors, plastic pollution is a deeply important issue. Plastic pollution creates risks across supply chains, markets and the companies we invest in, including through potential regulatory risk, litigation and liability, and the impact that it has on nature and the ecosystem. Addressing it needs action from governments, business, investors and civil society. 

That’s why Future Group has endorsed the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty’s Vision Statement. 

The Coalition brings together businesses across the plastics value chain, financial institutions and non-government organisations in support of an ambitious, effective and legally binding UN treaty to end plastic pollution. Its vision is for a global agreement that reduces plastic production and use through a circular economy approach, keeps necessary plastics in circulation, and prevents plastic leakage into the environment. 

Why a global treaty matters 

Plastic pollution is an international issue. Products, materials and waste move through global supply chains, while plastic leakage reaches shared oceans and ecosystems. A coordinated international response is essential. 

An effective global treaty can help set common goals, rules and obligations, giving governments a clearer framework for action and helping create more consistent expectations for businesses. For investors, that matters. A more coherent policy environment can support better decision-making, reduce uncertainty and help avoid a patchwork of disconnected rules. 

The treaty is also an opportunity to focus on solutions that tackle the problem at its source: reducing unnecessary plastic, designing products and packaging for reuse and circularity, and improving the systems needed to manage the plastics that remain necessary. 

The role of investors 

For Future Group, stewardship means using our influence as an investor to engage with companies we invest in and encourage them to better manage environmental, social and governance risks that may affect their long-term performance. 

Plastic pollution is a systemic issue. It is linked to resource use, emissions, biodiversity loss, waste and supply-chain resilience. Investors can play an important part by supporting stronger policy settings and encouraging companies to take credible action. 

Our endorsement of the Coalition’s Vision Statement builds on our work to support stronger action on plastic packaging in Australia. It reflects our view that durable change will require both company-level action and policy that is equal to the scale of the challenge. 

Find out more about the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty.