Bali, 9–11 February 2026: The Behaviour Lab, a newly established partnership aimed at advancing the applications of behavioural science to tackle plastic pollution in ASEAN and beyond, held its first strategic retreat in Bali, Indonesia. The event provided a platform for strategic discussions on potential joint initiatives, the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework, and its communication strategy.
Launched in October 2025 at the ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP), the Behaviour Lab was initiated to address the need for robust references to guide policymakers, businesses, and practitioners in designing and implementing effective behaviour change interventions to reduce plastic pollution in the region. The founding partners are committed to working alongside a broad range of stakeholders to combine scientific evidence, strategic insight, and real-world experience to develop people-centred solutions for a resilient and sustainable future.
In the first session of the retreat, representatives from the founding institutions discussed the role of knowledge management in addressing a critical gap: the limited availability of reference materials and guidance for behaviour change interventions tailored to ASEAN's unique socio-economic contexts.
Members noted that initial efforts are already under way, with a dedicated webpage currently being developed to serve as a knowledge hub for policymakers, businesses, and practitioners. Building on this update, discussions shifted to broader strategies for boosting both the creation and uptake of knowledge products. The members agreed that a sectoral needs assessment would be essential to identifying the most effective formats for different stakeholder groups. It was also emphasised that the knowledge dissemination approach must be behaviourally informed to encourage meaningful engagement and application.
Building on this discussion, participants explored the importance of facilitating capacity building to support the local-level implementation of behavioural change interventions and to bridge these efforts with national-level policymaking. To ensure buy-in for both capacity-building and knowledge-dissemination initiatives, participants agreed that identifying local and national champions could be a promising strategy.
Subsequent sessions focused on the psychosocial theory of change as a foundation for developing the Lab’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework. The group agreed that once finalised, the framework should be tested through pilot initiatives to establish proof of concept and assess its potential for scalability.
Additionally, WWF and Catalyze – a sustainability-focused communication agency – led an engaging discussion on the principles of developing an effective communication strategy. Participants agreed that such a strategy should not only amplify the initiatives of the Behaviour Lab but also – and more importantly – increase the uptake of the knowledge products it will produce.
The retreat concluded with a brief capacity-building session on applying behaviour change approaches to sustainability-related issues, led by Rare's Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE.Center). This was followed by a site visit to TPS3R KSM Sekar Tanjung, a community-based waste management site in Sanur, Bali, focused on reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. There, Delterra – an environmental non-profit organisation specialising in human system redesign – has successfully implemented behaviour change interventions related to waste segregation. These interventions have demonstrated proof of concept, offering valuable insights and lessons learned to inform the Behaviour Lab's upcoming joint initiatives.
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The 3-day retreat of the Behaviour Lab initiative also featured a public discussion titled ‘Scaling Behaviour Change: Plastic Reduction from Local Actions to Policy Pathways’. It brought together local practitioners and national policymakers to examine the gaps between grassroots community actions on behavioural change and higher-level policy and regulatory frameworks on plastic pollution.
Knowledge Management Associate
Bali, 9–11 February 2026: The Behaviour Lab, a newly established partnership aimed at advancing the applications of behavioural science to tackle plastic pollution in ASEAN and beyond, held its first strategic retreat in Bali, Indonesia. The event provided a platform for strategic discussions on potential joint initiatives, the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework, and its communication strategy.
Launched in October 2025 at the ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP), the Behaviour Lab was initiated to address the need for robust references to guide policymakers, businesses, and practitioners in designing and implementing effective behaviour change interventions to reduce plastic pollution in the region. The founding partners are committed to working alongside a broad range of stakeholders to combine scientific evidence, strategic insight, and real-world experience to develop people-centred solutions for a resilient and sustainable future.
In the first session of the retreat, representatives from the founding institutions discussed the role of knowledge management in addressing a critical gap: the limited availability of reference materials and guidance for behaviour change interventions tailored to ASEAN's unique socio-economic contexts.
Members noted that initial efforts are already under way, with a dedicated webpage currently being developed to serve as a knowledge hub for policymakers, businesses, and practitioners. Building on this update, discussions shifted to broader strategies for boosting both the creation and uptake of knowledge products. The members agreed that a sectoral needs assessment would be essential to identifying the most effective formats for different stakeholder groups. It was also emphasised that the knowledge dissemination approach must be behaviourally informed to encourage meaningful engagement and application.
Building on this discussion, participants explored the importance of facilitating capacity building to support the local-level implementation of behavioural change interventions and to bridge these efforts with national-level policymaking. To ensure buy-in for both capacity-building and knowledge-dissemination initiatives, participants agreed that identifying local and national champions could be a promising strategy.
Subsequent sessions focused on the psychosocial theory of change as a foundation for developing the Lab’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework. The group agreed that once finalised, the framework should be tested through pilot initiatives to establish proof of concept and assess its potential for scalability.
Additionally, WWF and Catalyze – a sustainability-focused communication agency – led an engaging discussion on the principles of developing an effective communication strategy. Participants agreed that such a strategy should not only amplify the initiatives of the Behaviour Lab but also – and more importantly – increase the uptake of the knowledge products it will produce.
The retreat concluded with a brief capacity-building session on applying behaviour change approaches to sustainability-related issues, led by Rare's Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE.Center). This was followed by a site visit to TPS3R KSM Sekar Tanjung, a community-based waste management site in Sanur, Bali, focused on reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. There, Delterra – an environmental non-profit organisation specialising in human system redesign – has successfully implemented behaviour change interventions related to waste segregation. These interventions have demonstrated proof of concept, offering valuable insights and lessons learned to inform the Behaviour Lab's upcoming joint initiatives.
***
The 3-day retreat of the Behaviour Lab initiative also featured a public discussion titled ‘Scaling Behaviour Change: Plastic Reduction from Local Actions to Policy Pathways’. It brought together local practitioners and national policymakers to examine the gaps between grassroots community actions on behavioural change and higher-level policy and regulatory frameworks on plastic pollution.
Knowledge Management Associate
