Fair Circularity Initiative

Respecting the rights of informal waste workers in circular value chains

Mission

To ensure the human rights of workers within the informal waste sector are respected and their critical role in circular value chains is recognized.

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Outcomes and Impacts

There are 19-24 million informal workers around the world, making up around 0.5-1 percent of the global workforce.

Outcomes and Impacts

Informal workers jointly collect and process 15-20 percent of metropolitan waste on a global scale and account for 60 percent of global plastic collected for recycling.

Outcomes and Impacts

Established the Fair Circularity Principles, a standard of reference used to develop the Harmonized Responsible Sourcing Framework for Recycled Plastics

How Fair Circularity Initiative Can Help

Adding Value to Your Business and Society

Thought Leadership

Policy

Implementation guidance and support

Capacity building

Sustainability Insights

Sustainability FAQs

Five Supply Chain Questions on Members’ Minds

Across industries, companies are navigating a shared set of supply chain challenges driven by evolving regulations, data scarcity, and diverging stakeholder expectations. BSR unpacks five of the most pressing supply chain sustainability questions we’ve received from members in 2026.

Reports

Accounting for Scope 3 Use-Phase Emissions for Software Companies

Case Studies

Developing a Financial Resilience Program with a Corporate Foundation

Blog

From the Frontlines of Scope 3: Key Lessons from Supplier Engagement Initiatives

Blog

Partnering with Suppliers to Advance Human Rights Due Diligence

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Our Experts

Depth of Experience and Knowledge

Our team consists of global experts across multiple focus areas and industries, bringing a depth of experience in developing sustainable business strategies and solutions.

Charlene Collison

Director, Collaborations and Partnerships, BSR

London

Director, Collaborations and Partnerships, BSR

London

As Director, Collaborations, Charlene develops and implements strategies to engage BSR member companies and other stakeholders in high-impact collaborations for sustainable development. She specializes in building collaborative approaches between consumer-facing companies and their value chains to embed long-term sustainability, build resilience in the face of disruption, and increase equity, inclusion, and justice.

Charlene brings over 20 years of experience in sustainability, systems change, futures, and collaboration. Prior to BSR, Charlene was associate director for sustainable value chains and livelihoods with global sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, where she directed collaborative system change initiatives in cotton, tea and other commodities, and led strategy projects with partners across the fashion and textile, agricultural and food sectors.

Charlene has an extensive background in futures, including working with the UK government’s futures unit developing and testing strategies across government departments.

Charlene holds an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility from Ashridge Management College (UK), a BA in International Relations from the University of Puget Sound (US), and a Diploma in Organisation Development from Henley Business School (UK).

Recent Insights From Charlene Collison

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Elisa Pinto de Magalhães

Associate Director, BSR

New York

Associate Director, BSR

New York

Elisa works with companies across sectors on sustainability management, human rights, and developing sustainable supply chains, among other topics.

Her areas of expertise include leading site-level Human Rights Impact Assessments, stakeholder and community engagement, conflict-affected and high-risk areas, and gender. Elisa works with BSR’s global member network, and those in Latin and South America in particular.

Prior to joining BSR, Elisa worked as liaison to the United Nations on sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender issues. She has worked extensively in Latin America and the Caribbean on improving policy and supporting social movements to advance gender equality at national and regional levels. Elisa has also managed projects in East Africa on improving the supply chain for contraceptives.

Elisa holds a first-class honors MA in Gender, Society, and Representation from the University College of London and a BA in Economics and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Tufts University. Elisa is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Recent Insights From Elisa Pinto de Magalhães

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Participation in the Fair Circularity Initiative is open to any company committed to respecting the rights of workers in the informal waste sector.

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Mission

Our Strategy for Impact

How We Work

Resources

Outcomes and Impacts

Outcomes and Impacts

Outcomes and Impacts

How Fair Circularity Initiative Can Help

Adding Value to Your Business and Society

Thought Leadership

Policy

Implementation guidance and support

Capacity building

Sustainability Insights

Sustainability FAQs

Five Supply Chain Questions on Members’ Minds

Reports

Accounting for Scope 3 Use-Phase Emissions for Software Companies

Case Studies

Developing a Financial Resilience Program with a Corporate Foundation

Blog

From the Frontlines of Scope 3: Key Lessons from Supplier Engagement Initiatives

Blog

Partnering with Suppliers to Advance Human Rights Due Diligence

Our Experts

Depth of Experience and Knowledge

Charlene Collison

Director, Collaborations and Partnerships, BSR

Elisa Pinto de Magalhães

Associate Director, BSR