Their mission to accelerate research, nurture talent, and drive innovation is creating more sustainable, high-performance products for homes around the world.

Anchored in the North East of England, home to Newcastle University, P&G’s Newcastle Innovation Centre in Benton, and P&G’s global business services site at Cobalt Business Park, this collaboration has become a leading example of open innovation between academia and industry. With shared values of scientific excellence, sustainability, and real‑world impact, the partnership connects world‑class research with global product development.

A strategic partnership delivering real world impact

Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Business, Partnerships and Place at Newcastle University, said: “By combining Newcastle’s academic strengths with the reach of P&G’s products in homes across the globe, we’re creating a model for how universities and industry can work together to tackle sustainability challenges and drive economic growth.”

Over the years, the partnership has grown into an ecosystem featuring shared research, doctoral training, and breakthrough innovations. Key areas of impact include:

• Reducing the carbon footprint of manufacturing through circular processes: The CarboNation project captures CO₂ from industrial waste gas streams and converts it into valuable raw materials for consumer goods production.
• Improving water and energy efficiency in households: The FairWater project studies consumer behaviour at home to identify product innovations that encourage more sustainable use.
• Advancing bioscience for more effective cold-water washing: The development of Purezyme®, a seaweed derived enzyme, has improved cold water laundry cleaning.
• Reducing microfibre pollution: Leading research that transformed industry understanding of fibre release and influenced the design of washing machine cycles.
• Accelerating product development with AI: Leveraging AI for critical insights.
• Developing the next generation of scientific leaders: Training experts in bioscience, net zero manufacturing, and industrial biotechnology.
• Discovering novel enzymes: Using cutting-edge technologies like Microarray Polymer Profiling to help develop more sustainable solutions for industries worldwide.

Developing global talent in the North East

The collaboration also delivers extensive opportunities for students and early‑career talent through placements, joint postgraduate programmes, Newcastle University careers initiatives, and embedded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

P&G’s Emma English, Accounts Receivable & Recruitment Manager, said: “Our 13‑month placement scheme partnering with Newcastle University has transformed our approach to talent development. Together, we are cultivating a pipeline of future leaders.”

 A shared commitment to Net Zero and sustainable innovation

Through joint research platforms and state‑of‑the‑art facilities, the partnership focuses on developing lower‑carbon ingredients, greener manufacturing methods, circular solutions, and science‑driven improvements to products used by billions of consumers.

Dr Phil Souter FRSC OBE, Senior Director R&D at P&G, said: “Our partnership is training the next generation of bio-scientists and helping P&G develop new insights and solutions to accelerate our action on climate change.”

 A global model for collaborative innovation

The partnership has attracted investment to the North East, supporting continued growth through initiatives such as a joint industrial biotechnology fellowship and the Newcastle University Centre for Industrial Biotechnology.

As global challenges evolve, both organisations are committed to deepening their collaboration.

“This is just the beginning,” said Professor Robinson. “Our shared future is one of possibility, powered by science and shaped by collaboration.”

Find out more about the partnership between Newcastle University and Procter & Gamble.