Mastercard to use climate-friendly cards from 2028

Mastercard has announced that all newly produced plastic payment cards will be required to be made from more sustainable materials from January 1, 2028.

The firm stated that this move is to reinforce its sustainability commitments and scale accessibility of more sustainable card offerings for consumers seeking a way to reduce the environmental impact of their wallets. It said cared will only be made from recycled or bio-sourced plastics such as rPVC, rPET, or PLA, and be approved through a certification programme, in a first move for a payment network.

It added that it will support its global issuing partners through the transition away from virgin PVC.

The President of Cyber and Intelligence at Mastercard, Ajay Bhalla, said, “At Mastercard we are leading and shaping our industry’s collective pursuit of a more sustainable, more environmentally conscious future.

“As our customers respond to increased consumer desire to make more eco-friendly choices, we are making a firm commitment to reducing our environmental footprint – for the benefit of people, planet and inclusive growth.”

The Chief Sustainability Officer for Mastercard, Ellen Jackowski, noted, “Mastercard is committed to advancing climate action and reducing waste by driving our business toward net zero emissions and leveraging our network and scale to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, regenerative economy.”

According to the firm, it launched its Sustainable Card Program in 2018, with over 330 issuers across 80 countries signing up since then.