Deciem partners with 4ocean to remove one million kilograms of ocean waste

Deciem, the science-driven beauty company behind The Ordinary, has joined 4ocean’s Certified Cleanup Partner programme with a commitment to remove one million kilograms of plastic and ocean-bound waste by 2028.

The partnership will directly fund 4ocean’s global cleanup operations, contributing to the removal of plastic and other waste from coastlines, rivers, and oceans around the world.

As part of this, Deciem’s sustainable pledge will help remove the equivalent of 40 million plastic bottles from the ocean and surrounding environments over three years.

It comes as more than 83% of Deciem's packaging is made from curbside-recyclable materials, and it continues to explore alternatives that reduce reliance on virgin plastic and improve recyclability.

However, the company also recognises that sustainability involves more than reducing future impact; it includes addressing the environmental damage that already exists. This understanding informed its decision to partner with 4ocean.

Anika de la Flor, Director of Environmental Sustainability at Deciem, said: "We are constantly working to reduce our impact on the planet. One of the ways we're doing this is by increasing the use of recycled materials in our packaging to reduce waste and protect marine life.

"Our partnership with 4ocean allows us to take this commitment further, helping us not only lower our plastic footprint as a business but also remove plastic from our oceans. These small but intentional actions matter - for our industry, our planet, and our shared future."

Deciem’s partnership with 4ocean reflects a broader shift within the beauty industry toward taking greater environmental responsibility - not only within company operations but also through external impact.

Alex Schulze, co-founder and CEO at 4ocean, said: "We’re stoked to officially welcome Deciem as a 4ocean Certified Cleanup Partner. Its commitment to removing one million kilograms of ocean and ocean-bound plastic and trash by 2028 demonstrates huge environmental impact.

Through this collaboration, Deciem and 4ocean aim to advance a shared goal: to address the ocean plastic crisis through measurable, transparent, and scalable action, with progress tracked and verified through 4ocean’s third-party certification and reporting standards.