Bank Australia says no to virgin plastic in new campaign via Silver Lining Agency + Good&Proper
Bank Australia, the B Corp certified and purpose-driven bank, has joined forces with global environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans to launch a new recycled plastic bank card to help create awareness of the health of our oceans.
The card body is made from 100 recycled plastic* (rPET), with 64% of the material collected from coastal communities by Parley for the Oceans – who are known globally for their collaborations with organisations like Adidas, the United Nations, and Frank Green.
Bank Australia’s new recycled plastic card is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness of the growing threat of plastic pollution in our oceans and to show how small everyday choices, like who you bank with, can contribute to a healthier planet.
The campaign asks Australians to “pay with purpose, not virgin plastic,” and runs across web, outdoor, social, paid and organic social, in-branch communications, PR, influencer, and event activity.
Today (September 18) at Martin Place, Sydney, Bank Australia is hosting a one-day public art installation, the Aquarium of Tomorrow, featuring ocean creatures made from plastic waste like bottle caps, plastic bags, cans, and food wrappers. The piece was created in partnership with multidisciplinary environmental artist, Swapna Namboodiri.
Bank Australia Head of Brand, Nicole Hunter says: “As a customer-owned bank, we take action on the issues that matter to our customers. We know they care deeply about increasing plastic waste in the environment and so do we. That’s why we’re proud to launch this new suite of cards, giving all Australians a choice to pay with purpose.
“We know this card won’t solve the plastic crisis on its own, but it’s a small, meaningful way we’re helping to take a stand for healthier oceans. It’s great to bring this campaign to market through our work with three B Corp agency partners, all committed to being a force for good.”
A recent study estimates there are over 171 trillion plastic particles—weighing around 2.3 million metric tons—currently in the ocean. This “plastic smog” is doubling roughly every six years, with around 21,000 pieces of plastic per person on Earth.
Parley for the Oceans Australia Director, Christian Miller says: “Not even Australia’s remote beaches, like those of Cape York, are spared from plastic pollution. Plastic is a global problem that demands urgent solutions across every industry.”
Bank Australia has long been recognised for its ethical banking leadership, including its 2035 net zero commitment, award-winning Clean Energy Home Loan, decision to cease car loans for new fossil fuel vehicles, and for being the first to care for a conservation reserve.
*Some functional components including the chip, hologram and magnetic strip cannot be sourced as recycled plastic.
Bank Australia | B Corp
Creative agency: Silver Lining Agency | B Corp
Content agency: Good&Proper | B Corp
Communications and PR agency: Compass Studio | B Corp
Card manufacturer: Gieseke+Devrient with Parley for the Oceans