Nadir Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej Industries Group, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to sustainability and the importance of collective action, said, ” At Godrej Industries Group, prioritizing people and the planet is embedded in our core values. Over the past decade, we’ve made significant strides toward sustainability—64% of our energy now comes from renewable sources, and we’ve reduced our plastic packaging intensity by more than 20%. We are proud to collect and recycle 100% of the pre- and post-consumer plastic packaging we produce.

Through our waste management projects, we’ve diverted over 63,000 MT of waste from landfills, freeing up land and reducing environmental impact. This campaign is a natural extension of our commitment to driving meaningful environmental change. By addressing critical challenges like plastic pollution and renewable energy, we aim to inspire collective action and create a sustainable legacy for future generations.”

Plastic waste is a pressing concern in India, with 9.46 million tonnes generated in 2023, nearly 43% of it being single-use plastic. To address this challenge, the campaign emphasizes the importance of adopting sustainable lifestyle choices to reduce plastic consumption and protect the planet’s resources.

Reinforcing this message, the Godrej Magic Ready-to-Mix Handwash Station was unveiled in the Bandra locality of Mumbai. This on-ground initiative, which will be active for over a week, encourages people to reuse bottles by refilling them at the handwash station. The Godrej Magic Handwash Station features a real-time dashboard displaying the amount of plastic one can save in a year by simply switching to refills, transforming personal sustainable choices into a visible, collective impact.

Commenting on the Godrej Magic Handwash initiative, Neeraj Senguttuvan, Head of Marketing – Personal Care, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), said, “India faces a mounting plastic waste crisis, with millions of tonnes generated annually and single-use plastics posing the biggest threat to environmental sustainability. At GCPL, we foster a sustainability-first culture, balancing business with environmental and social responsibility. Godrej Magic Handwash is a sustainable innovation that uses 50% less plastic, 75% less fuel, and 75% less paper compared to regular handwash. This campaign shows how small, conscious actions—like reusing bottles—can create meaningful, measurable change. Each refill used is one less bottle in a landfill. By visualizing this impact in real time, we’re turning awareness into action.”

The campaign, also supported by Godrej L’Affaire, will culminate in a Cyclothon today, inviting participants to reaffirm their commitment to sustainability and reinforce the global call for environmental stewardship.

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Prasanna has been actively involved in environmental conservation from a young age, participating in activities such as tree plantation drives, air pollution reduction initiatives, sustainable energy projects, and campaigns against water and soil pollution. However, it was plastic pollution that he identified as one of the most pressing global challenges.

Understanding the Plastic Crisis

Every day, tons of plastic waste are generated worldwide, contaminating our water, soil, and air. Being non-biodegradable, plastic breaks down into microplastics, which easily infiltrate our natural resources. Studies have shown that humans unknowingly consume microplastics daily through food, water, and air. Alarmingly, traces of plastic chemicals have been found in human blood, brain, breast milk, feces, heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, and liver. The biggest question remains: What impact will this have on future generations? How can society mitigate this growing threat, and how can we protect ourselves and our loved ones?

Prasanna’s Mission: Creating Awareness and Driving Change

With these concerns in mind, Prasanna embarked on a mission to educate communities about plastic hazards and practical solutions. He has conducted awareness workshops in residential societies, where he provides guidelines on plastic waste segregation, sustainable alternatives, and innovative recycling techniques. His sessions encourage people to take proactive steps toward reducing plastic pollution and contribute to a cleaner, greener environment.

Recently, Prasanna participated in a science exhibition at Dr. Nanasaheb Parulekar School, Pratik Nagar, Yerwada, where he led a project with 10 students from the Burmashell slum area. Together, they developed a model demonstrating how plastic waste can be segregated and recycled to produce oil and gas for fuel consumption. This experience reaffirmed his belief in the curiosity of young minds and the need to create awareness among youth about plastic pollution and sustainable solutions.

To further promote eco-friendly alternatives, Prasanna has initiated cloth bag painting and paper bag-making workshops, encouraging his friends and family to replace plastic bags with reusable, handmade alternatives.

The Power of Collective Action

While these efforts may seem small, Prasanna strongly believes that micro-level changes at the individual and community level can create a cultural shift toward plastic-free living. He emphasizes that collective action will ultimately lead to systemic changes and the implementation of plastic-free solutions that safeguard both human health and the environment.

Prasanna’s Mantra for a Plastic-Free Universe:

REFUSE – Say NO to plastic products and always opt for biodegradable alternatives such as paper, cloth, and dry leaves.

REDUCE – Minimize plastic usage and explore sustainable options like cloth bags instead of plastic, and glass or metal containers instead of plastic ones.

REUSE – Avoid single-use plastics. For unavoidable plastic items, reuse them instead of allowing them to accumulate as waste.

RECYCLE – Segregate plastic waste at home and hand it over to recycling agencies, helping to reduce plastic-related pollution and its harmful health effects.

Through these steps, Prasanna envisions a clean and green future where individuals take responsibility for their environmental impact. His journey serves as an inspiration, proving that one dedicated young mind can ignite a movement for global change.

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PUNE: Tata BlueScope Steel, one of India’s leading producers of color-coated steel and building solutions, launched a sustainability initiative, in Rajasthan, aimed at collecting and recycling plastic waste, specifically the plastic guard film used with its flagship retail brand DURASHINE®.

DURASHINE® is a premium steel roofing product offering durable and aesthetically superior solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.

These sheets are protected by a thin plastic guard film that prevents abrasion and scratches during transportation and storage, preserving their coating and paint finish. Tata BlueScope Steel encourages the immediate removal of this guard film after installation to ensure proper disposal and recycling.

As part of this initiative, Tata BlueScope Steel aims to reduce the environmental footprint of its products by creating a collection-and-recycling ecosystem of plastic guard films through fabricators.

This approach not only promotes sustainable practices within the industry but also provides an additional income stream for fabricators who participate by depositing collected guard films at designated dealer locations in Rajasthan’s Pali, Udaipur, and Degana, where the pilot project was initiated.

“Tata BlueScope Steel is committed to driving sustainability across our operations. By partnering with local fabricators and a government-approved recycler, we aim to tackle plastic waste while also supporting the community and have received positive feedback. This initiative reflects our dedication to responsible business practices,” said Ajay Rattan, Vice President of Building Products – Infra, Safety, Sustainability & Corporate Communication), at Tata BlueScope Steel.

To facilitate this process, the company has partnered with a government-approved recycler and has also launched training programs under its Saksham initiative to enhance fabricators’ skills in handling DURASHINE® sheets.

Fabricators are incentivized to collect and return the guard films, making the initiative both environmentally beneficial and economically rewarding for those involved.

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Anil Naik, President of APP said that the number of member companies has increased during this year and demonstrates the progress of the organisation and its commitment to the welfare of the sector. He added that the ‘Plasto Exhibition’ the flagship project of APP to be held on 8-11 JAN 2025 has received a very good response. ‘Plasto 2025’ will be held at a much grander scale at Moshi International Exhibition Centre with an area of 1,00,000 sq ft out of which 70 percent has been already booked.

The annual general meeting also discussed the work in progress for Plasto 2025. During the meeting, it was also decided to expand the Plasto committee with advisors which will benefit the endeavor.

All new members were handed over certificates, bags, and pins.

A moment of silence was observed for the late Radheshyam Bhattad and late Yashwant Karve who were senior members of the association and passed away this year. 

Association for the Promotion of Plastics (APP) was established in Pune in 1981. The basic objectives of the Association are to promote the growth of Plastics and related industries, create a common platform and to bring together the members, solve common problems of Plastic and Polymer Industry to educate the members, and propagate up-to-date knowledge related to Plastics-Polymers and spread technical advancement.

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PUNE: Twelve start-ups have converted innovative plastic waste management solutions into new business models, saving a whopping 124,360 tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions collectively in the last 12 months.  These startups are part of the Marico Innovation Foundation (MIF)’s plastics portfolio that was featured in the ‘Innovation in Plastics: The Potential and Possibilities’ playbook, in January 2023.  MIF released this and other data points at the Plastics Program Roundup 2023-24, a day-long event, here today. This stock-taking reviewed the impact of MIF’s focused intervention in the plastic waste management value chain providing opportunities for innovators to address the plastics problem.

According to the MIF’s playbook, India’s plastic consumption growth has been alarming, increasing from 14 million tonnes in 2016-17 to 20 million tonnes in 2019-20. During the same period, the plastic waste output also doubled. What is more disturbing is that despite generating 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, India only recycles 30%.

In this context, it is notable how MIF-supported startups have made significant strides in developing innovative solutions to address the challenge of plastic waste. For instance, Ibanss and Dharaksha have effectively managed 60 tons of agricultural waste using biocraft innovation technology and mycelium respectively. Other startups, including Ishitva, Ibanss, Ricron, Padcare, Bintix, Dharaksha, and Angirus have collectively saved 124,360 tons of CO2 emissions, validating MIF’s focus on innovations that create social, economic, and environmental impact.

Then, there are others in the portfolio like Padcare which has recycled 37 tons of sanitary pads, preserving 74,000 km of landfill area. Ishitva Robotics’ AI-based sorting machine has sorted 100,000 tons of plastic waste, significantly impacting energy conservation by saving 265,000 tons of oil barrels. Innovators like Ricron Panels and Angirus have recycled 1,338 tons of plastic waste through innovative construction products. Bintix, which focuses on household waste management, has collected 360 tons of plastic waste, contributing to biodiversity conservation and waste reduction while preserving 8,300 trees.

Harsh Mariwala, Founder, of Marico Innovation Foundation, said, “MIF is at the forefront of the innovation journey in plastic waste management.  Our commitment to innovation is what drives us to identify and address challenges for the short, mid, and long term. This initiative can be a game-changer for India as we move ahead in addressing the plastics problem.  I believe that by providing a nurturing environment that goes beyond capital, we can build a prototype for plastic waste management for the rest of the world to deploy.”

Amit Chandra, Honorary Chairperson of the Governing Council of Marico Innovation Foundation, added, “Our Plastics Program has supported innovative solutions poised to revolutionize the waste management sector. As consumerism continues to surge, there is immense scope for innovations to address challenges across the value chain.”  He added, “MIF is proud to support the journey of disruptive innovators and contribute to ecosystem building for sustainable innovations.”

Suranjana Ghosh, Head of Marico Innovation Foundation, highlighted MIF’s instrumental role in nurturing innovators in the plastic waste management sector. “Since the launch of the playbook, MIF has taken the lead in following its recommendations, prioritizing the support, and nurturing of startups. This commitment has led to significant strides, with our interventions resulting in multi-crore deal orders alongside other value-driven initiatives for entrepreneurs. These endeavors underscore our dedication to driving tangible outcomes and fostering a thriving ecosystem for sustainable innovation,” she remarked.

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FARIDABAD: Two male patients, one of them 64 years old and the other 19 years of age, have successfully undergone hand transplantation at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. This is the very first time that such a procedure has been conducted in North India. Significantly, this is also the first time in India (and only the second such case in the world) that a kidney transplant recipient has received a hand transplant. The two complex hand transplantation surgeries lasted for around 17 hours and were conducted in the last week of December 2023.

Gautam Tayal, the 64-year-old patient hailing from Delhi had undergone a kidney transplant 10 years ago, due to which he was already on immunosuppressants. About two years ago, he lost his left hand just above the wrist in an industrial accident in a factory. The hand that he received in the transplant belonged to a 40-year-old man who was declared brain dead following a head injury. The deceased man’s family generously agreed to donate his various organs, including his hands, immediately following his death. The donated hand was flown from Thane, near Mumbai, to Faridabad, where the doctors immediately started the procedure to transplant the hand.

Said Dr. Mohit Sharma, Professor & Head, Centre for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad: “This is not only North India’s first-ever hand transplantation, but also the first one in the country conducted on a kidney transplant patient. This is a very rare and exciting feat in medical science. To achieve the union of the two hands, we had to join two bones, two arteries, 25 tendons, and 5 nerves. The patient is doing well in the post-operative period and his hand movements are in recovery. He will be discharged within a week.”

Patient Gautam Tayal said, “I was devastated at losing my limb at this age. However, seeing Amrita Hospital’s stellar record of conducting hand transplants gave me hope for the future. This hand transplant has gifted me a new lease of life. I am so happy and grateful that God, and Amrita doctors, have given me a second chance to live my life to the full.”

The second-hand transplantation at Amrita Hospital Faridabad was conducted on a 19-year-old youth, Devansh Gupta, hailing from Delhi. He lost both upper limbs (hands) and the right lower limb above the knee in a train accident three years ago. The two hands he received in transplantation belonged to a 33-year-old man from Surat who was declared brain dead due to a chronic and fatal lung condition. His family readily agreed to donate his various organs, including his hands, immediately following his death, and that is when Devansh’s prayers for a new pair of hands were answered.  The hands were flown to Faridabad from Surat in a complex logistical operation.

Said Dr. Anil Murarka, Senior Consultant, Centre for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Amrita Hospital Faridabad: “The patient’s right limb was transplanted at the upper arm level and the left limb just above the elbow level. The higher the level of amputation, the more challenging the hand transplant becomes, and there are profound technical issues in upper-arm-level hand transplants. So far, the patient’s progress has been excellent. He needs to take immunosuppression lifelong so that the new hands are not rejected by his body. It will take him anywhere between 6 to 18 months to regain enough function in his new hands to do day-to-day activities. He also needs to undergo intensive physiotherapy including muscle stretching for another year.”

Said the patient Devansh Gupta: “When I lost both my hands at such a young age, I couldn’t come to terms with reality. It was a devastating loss from which it was impossible to recover. My life as I knew it came crashing down. Getting a new pair of hands seems like a dream come true to me. God has finally answered my prayers. I eagerly look forward to the day when I will feel the first sensation in my hands and be able to move my fingers. I thank the doctors of Amrita Hospital for giving me a new life and a new hope.”

Said Swami Nijamritananda Puri, Administrative Director, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Amrita doctors for achieving such a remarkable medical feat, particularly in successfully conducting a hand transplant on a kidney transplant recipient, which is India’s first. This accomplishment is a testament to the world-class infrastructure of our hospital and the exceptional skills of our surgeons. In a brief period, Amrita Hospital has emerged as one of the world’s leading institutions for hand transplants.”

Said Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad: “My congratulations to Amrita doctors and everyone involved for the two successful hand transplants in Faridabad. This is a major medical feat. The hand transplant surgery posed a risk of kidney failure to the 64-year-old patient, but thanks to the entire team at Amrita, the surgery was a success. We now look forward to both the patients leading normal lives, like anyone else.”

The success of this complex operation was attributed to the concerted efforts of a multidisciplinary team. Key contributors include consultants in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, such as Dr. Shikha Gupta, Dr. Devajyoti Guin, Dr. Srilekha Reddy, Dr. Vasundhra Jain, and Dr. Arun Sharma. The Department of Anesthesiology, led by Dr. Mukul Kapoor and supported by Dr. Shaloo Garg, Dr. Niti Gulati, and Dr. Ketan Kulkarni, played a pivotal role in managing the patient throughout the procedure and the post-operative period. Orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Mrinal Sharma and Dr. Priyadarshi Amit, along with their team, ensured the quick union of bones for limb stability.

In Nephrology, Dr. Zacharia Paul, Dr. Urmila Anand, and Dr. Kunal Gandhi managed crucial immunosuppression to prevent limb rejection. The Pathology Department, under the leadership of Dr. Gaurav and Dr. Arruparrna Sen Gupta, handled limb rejection diagnoses. Dr. Ansar Ul Haq and the Physical Medicine Department oversaw the patient’s rehabilitation post-transplantation, while Dr. Charu Dua looked nutrition of the patients. Silent contributors included nursing staff and OT technicians, including Ms. Shakti Khati, Ms. Rari Chandran, Ms. Sonia, Joginder, Rohitash, Virender, Neeraj, Akash, and ICU nurses Dharamender, Pradeep, Pawan, Megha, Pritika, Abbas, Nitika, Pramod, Swarnima, Nidhi, and Priyanka. Medical administration, represented by Dr. Danish, Mr. Ashwini Sarin, Ms. Nivedita, transplant manager Mr. Arjun, and Smt. Vani played a crucial role in logistical coordination, including the transportation of doctors and organs. Dr. Mohit Sharma also acknowledged the divine blessing of Amma, the institute’s founder, as the backbone of this surgical achievement.

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Plastic pollution takes hundreds of years to break down and inflicts serious damage on our oceans, rivers, and land. It is also a source of greenhouse gas emissions, from its production and manufacture to the way it is disposed of. Research shows that people across England use 2.7 billion items of mostly plastic single-use cutlery and 721 million single-use plates every year, but only 10% of these are recycled.

The ban has been welcomed by businesses and the public alike, with overwhelming support demonstrated in responses to the consultation on the ban. The government has engaged closely with industry to support them in getting ready for the new requirements, including by giving them nine months from the publication of its response to the consultation on the ban to prepare and use up excess stock.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said, “This new ban is the next big step in our mission to crack down on harmful plastic waste. It will protect the environment and help to cut litter – stopping plastic pollution from dirtying our streets and threatening our wildlife.

This builds on world-leading bans on straws, stirrers, and cotton buds, our single-use carrier bag charge, and our plastic packaging tax, helping us on our journey to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.”

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said, “Hospitality businesses have made huge strides in reducing their plastic usage and that progress has resulted in the vast majority of venues already eliminating single-use cutlery from their operations, a crucial part of our ambitions to reach net zero.

We’ve been pleased to work with the Government to ensure these new bans and restrictions are also practical for hospitality businesses, all while working towards the nation’s sustainability goals.”

Helen Bird, Head of Material Systems at WRAP, said,” Single-use plastics dominate our world and have even become embedded into the planet itself. This ban is an important moment in tackling the scourge of plastic pollution.

Since 2018, WRAP has worked with businesses under The UK Plastics Pact to eliminate all unnecessary and unrecyclable plastic packaging. Since then, 620 million single-use plastic items have been removed from shops. But we must go further, including on plastic packaging on most fruit and vegetables – and help save shoppers money by allowing people to buy what they need.“

The single-use plastics ban is part of the government’s wider world-leading action to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution and eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The government has already banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2018 and restricted the supply of plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds in 2020. The government has also introduced the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, a tax of more than PS200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported to the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.

The Government also introduced the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, a tax of more than £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported to the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.

Elsewhere, the Government’s hugely successful single-use carrier bag charge has cut sales in the main supermarkets by more than 98% since its introduction in 2015, taking billions of bags out of circulation.

But there is still more to do, which is why the Government is bringing in a deposit return scheme for drinks containers to recycle billions more plastic bottles and stop them from being landfilled, incinerated, or littered, alongside plans to simplify recycling collections for every household and business in England.

Through the actions of government, businesses, and individuals, the UK is transitioning away from unnecessary plastics and improving sustainability across the public and private sectors. This shift from single-use items is vital as the government continues its work to protect the environment for future generations.

Image by pvproductions on Freepik

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“Ahead of the negotiations for the treaty we decided to put up this important message to remind our leaders and other stakeholders not to waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to finally turn off the tap and end the age of plastic,” said Greenpeace Africa’s Communication and Story Manager, Hellen Kahaso Dena. “We hope the treaty will safeguard the climate and ensure a fair and equitable transition for workers and the health of all the affected communities.”

Despite increasing evidence on the impact of plastic pollution on people’s health as well as the environment, plastic production has continued to increase year on year. With 99% of plastics being made from fossil fuels, plastic production is a major driver of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. Plastic production harms communities and workers living near production sites and landfills.

“This year alone, we have seen the devastating impacts of the climate crisis; from droughts in Kenya to deadly cyclones and floods in Malawi and in the DRC. This treaty is an opportunity for our leaders to stop big polluters with their relentless plastic production and to protect our climate and affected communities from these climate impacts.

We are confident that Africa’s governments will adopt and champion a strong global treaty that will end plastic pollution through a phase-out of plastic production – to protect the environment and human rights of Africans,” continued Dena.

Plastic is polluting throughout its entire lifecycle- from the moment it is extracted to its disposal. Plastic proponents and corporations need to stop relying on big oil and instead invest in reuse and refill models. Countries such as Rwanda and Kenya need to show leadership on this issue and match the urgency of the crisis by championing an ambitious plastics treaty.

“We urge Africa’s governments to ensure that there is fair and equitable representation throughout the negotiation and implementation process from communities disproportionately affected by the plastic pollution crisis. African leaders can adopt a progressive plan that supports ambitious goals for a new plastic agreement to solve the plastic pollution crisis,” concluded Dena.

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Emphasizing the importance of sustainable development, Dr. Chaudhari underlined the dire need to combat the evils of climate change. He cited that the insurance industry’s losses fueled by climate change are now regularly exceeding $100 billion a year. He stressed that bioeconomy has emerged as one of the most promising sustainable climate actions. He also shared progress on a number of initiatives Praj has been taking in bioeconomy to propagate Renewable Chemicals and Materials as well as biofuels.

In the pursuit of a low-carbon economy, Praj is developing sustainable solutions in the form of Renewable Chemicals and Materials (RCM). To curb the evils of the plastic menace and to support the government of India’s single-use ban on plastic Praj has developed technology to produce bioplastics i.e. Polylactic Acid (PLA) as part of its Bio-PrismTM portfolio. To accelerate the commercialization of bioplastics, Praj is setting up a first-of-its-kind demo plant for Polylactic Acid (PLA) at Jejuri on the outskirts of Pune. This pilot facility will be used for scaled production of Food Grade Lactic Acid and Polylactic Acid.

While ethanol blending in petrol is already established as a strong solution to decarbonize surface transportation, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are an emerging solution for cleaner skies. Earlier, Praj had developed technology with US-based GEVO Inc. and had entered into MoU with IOCL for the production of SAF. Recently in an MoU with Axens of France for building SAF projects, Praj is developing a resilient industry ecosystem to capitalize on promising opportunities in SAF.

To address the growing opportunity basket from the Energy Transition and Climate Actions (ETCA) agenda, Praj is setting up a modern manufacturing facility to be housed in a new subsidiary. The new facility will be set up near a major port with an investment of Rs. 100 crores. The existing Kandla facility will continue to serve the current market of Oil & Gas and Fertilizers while the new facility will be dedicated to opportunities from the ETCA segment.

To build on the rich legacy of four decades of leadership in the global bioeconomy and to secure new opportunities ushering on the horizon, Praj has launched a comprehensive Transformation program. BAIN & Co, a top-tier management consulting firm has been roped in to develop a strategic blueprint to ensure sustainable growth in the coming decade, to strengthen Praj’s global leadership in bioeconomy

As part of its social commitments, Praj has undertaken a project to create a model Net Zero and Climate Resilient village at Mandede in Mulshi taluka near Pune. Praj has engaged the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, for validation.

Talking about all these developments, Dr. Pramod Chaudhari said, “We have unprecedented business opportunities ahead on the back of rising awareness about climate change and strong global mandates. We believe we are in a good position to capitalize on these, given our unique business philosophy of R&D to D&D i.e. design & deployment, and formidable track record. We are also gearing up for the next phase of growth by making strategic investments to enhance our delivery capabilities.”

Founded in 1983 as an agri-processing venture to facilitate inclusive growth of the farming community, Praj is credited with one of the most successful IPO in 1993. With the introduction of biofuels as swadeshi indhan in 2003, Praj strode into the biofuels industry to propagate positive socio-economic-environmental impacts globally. The Biofuels industry in India started gaining momentum around 2013 and has achieved ethanol blending in excess of 11% by early 2023. (5) In the past 4 decades, Praj has had over 1000 customer references in more than 100 countries across all 5 continents.

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NEW DELHI: Bisleri International Pvt Ltd, India’s leading mineral water company, has strengthened its sustainability strategy by launching ‘Bisleri Greener Promise.’ The sustainability philosophy focuses on creating a greener future by reinforcing and implementing programs in recycling, water conservation, and sustainability. 

Under the aegis of this philosophy, Bisleri International has become one of the first consumer goods companies to be plastic-neutral and water positive. It further emphasizes its promise to the sustainable development of the country by announcing bold initiatives under plastic recycling and water conservation.

The company has outlined its vision to connect with 20 major cities to collect and recycle 12,500 tonnes of plastic by 2025 through its Bottles for the Change initiative. Additionally, it has also announced the restoration or building of 350 dams in Maharashtra and Gujarat to provide water security and enhance crop production. Under the initiative, Project Nayi Umeed, more than 35,000 million liters of water will be harvested, and it will help irrigate more than 23,000 acres of land. The company aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% and lower the use of virgin plastic by over 7%.

Furthermore, Bisleri International released its sustainability report defining its progress in environment, social, and governance (ESG) practices. The report has been developed by the TERI School of Advanced Studies. It highlights Bisleri International’s efforts in building a circular economy, utilizing resources efficiently, reducing GHG emissions, replenishing water, and recollecting packaging material. 

Speaking about the organization’s commitment towards sustainability and Bisleri Greener Promise, Angelo George, CEO, of Bisleri International Pvt Ltd, said, “At Bisleri International, we develop solutions that fuel business growth and, at the same time, address environmental challenges. We are in constant pursuit of creating a positive impact and continue to integrate our business strategy with sustainability goals. Thus, ensuring that we operate purposefully and responsibly. Innovations in packaging will continue to be our focus for the next three years and we aim to be ready for the guidelines on reuse targets stipulated by the Government.” 

As part of its commitment to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of irresponsible disposal of used plastic, Bisleri International’s Bottle For Change initiative works towards bringing behavioral change and raising awareness about the importance of post-consumer plastic. Through the program, Bisleri International has brought behavioral change amongst 600,000 citizens by organizing sensitization workshops and collection drives. These workshops and drives were conducted at over 3500 housing societies, 680 educational institutions, 790 corporates, and 600 hotels & restaurants across seven cities. The efforts have resulted in collecting and recycling over 4000MT of used plastic. 

For Project Nayi Umeed, Bisleri International focuses on building or restoring Check Dams, rainwater harvesting, and empowering communities. It provides access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, benefiting farmers and their families. Through the program, it has built or restored over 200 Check Dams in Gujarat and Maharashtra. These Check Dams have helped harvest approximately 22Bn liters of water, covering more than 124 villages and benefiting almost 40,000 family members of farmers. Over 13,000 acres of land have been irrigated through the project, turning barren lands into fertile farms. Also, for every liter of water drawn, eight liters of water is replenished from the ground.

“We at TERI School of Advanced Studies believe that resource efficiency and waste management are the keys to smart, sustainable, and inclusive development.  We work together internally and externally to maximize shared knowledge and impact. Bisleri International Private Limited has been practicing a triple bottom line as an approach.  We are happy to partner with them to develop their first Sustainability report. Hope this aligns all their stakeholders to their work towards sustainable development.” said Dr. Shruti Sharma, Assistant Professor, TERI, SAS

The initiatives and priorities cited in the report are aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Further, Bisleri International aims to set ambitious sustainability goals based on innovative business models. These goals will strengthen Bisleri International’s efforts to tackle climate change, ensure safe and healthy water for all, build behavioral changes, and create an effective circular economy for post-use packaging.

Access the company’s full sustainability report here: https://www.bisleri.com/greener-promise/sustainability-report-2021-22.pdf

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