World Environment Day Corporate houses commit to circular biz model to reduce waste

    New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) On World Environment Day, leading corporate houses announced their commitments to a greener earth and a regenerative business model to minimise waste.
    On Thursday, many companies committed to moving towards plastic neutrality by reducing the usage in their packaging with sustainable innovations, increasing collection and scientific disposal of plastic waste and consumer engagement to increase renewable energy capacity.
    Companies, such as ITC, reaffirmed commitments to initiatives to manage, recycle and replace plastic packaging waste, with a three-pronged framework of 'No plastic, Better Plastic and Less Plastic'.
    It focuses on community-based waste management programmes and investments in sustainable packaging innovations.
    This innovative approach not only encourages ITC to continuously improve recyclability and optimise packaging across its own FMCG brands but enables it to offer a bouquet of sustainable packaging solutions for a range of consumer industries, replacing plastic with biodegradable materials designed for recycling.
    ITC, which has achieved plastic neutrality status for 4 years in a row, "aspires to make 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable, reusable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2028, as a part of its bold Sustainability 2.0 Vision".
    Godrej Enterprises Group, which has operations in various sectors, including aviation, defence, energy, locks & security solutions, tooling, healthcare equipment, consumer durables, engines and motors, aims to recycle 25,000 MT of plastic by 2032.
    Its recycling programme is also being scaled to cover both pre and post-consumer plastic waste generated within and beyond the fence.
    "Looking ahead, GEG plans to systematically phase out the use of thermocol by 2023 and introduce recycled content up to 30 per cent in its plastic product packaging," it said.
    Leading French Sporting goods retailer Decathlon announced the launch of its circular business model in India, furthering its global commitment to sustainability, waste reduction and a regenerative business.
    Decathlon's circular business model in India is currently anchored around three core offerings - repair services available in over 95 stores, second-life resale of refurbished products in more than 90 stores, and buyback of used equipment in over 50 stores, which will be slowly scaled across the country and will later be made available online.
    Through circular models, such as repair, buyback, resale, and DIY spares, Decathlon is set to triple its circular turnover by 2027, a projected 200 per cent growth compared to 2024.
    "With this pioneering step, Decathlon becomes the first sports retailer in India to embed circularity at scale," it said, adding that its India launch is a key part of Decathlon's global decarbonisation strategy, which includes achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and a 42 per cent reduction in absolute CO2 emissions by 2030.
    FMCG firm Marico, which owns brands like Saffola, Parachute and Livon, announced the introduction of its first-ever initiative to assess Packaging Material Circularity Score.
    The initiative, part of Marico's broader sustainability agenda, is built around 10 opportunity levers, including material circularity, design efficiency, end-of-life recovery, elimination of uncommon/hazardous materials, EPR performance, consumer engagement, and innovation.
    "By FY30, the company aims to achieve over 30 per cent recycled content in non-food plastic packaging, transition to a 100 per cent recyclable packaging portfolio, and ensure zero hazardous waste-to-landfill across its directly owned manufacturing units," it said.
    Leading Packing solution provider Uflex said reliance on flexible packaging cannot be ignored, as it is essential for delivering food, pharmaceutical, and other consumer products while ensuring safety, durability, protection from contamination, safer transportation, and enhanced accessibility.
    However, it said plastic has lower greenhouse gas emissions than non-plastic alternatives. In contrast, materials like glass, rigid PET, and steel require significantly more water and fossil fuels to produce.
    "We believe that the problem is not plastic itself, but how we manage its lifecycle. At UFlex, we've developed technologies to recycle even the most complex mixed flexible waste.
    Shree Cement said it is investing in renewable infrastructure, making sustainability a central pillar of its growth strategy. This commitment has been consistently demonstrated through large-scale deployment of solar energy, wind power and waste heat recovery systems across its manufacturing units.
    The company has integrated green energy solutions into every aspect of its value chain -- from sourcing and production to packaging and logistics.
    "The aim is not only to reduce carbon footprint but also to ensure long-term energy security and operational resilience. This transition is further supported by data-driven energy management systems that improve efficiency and reduce dependency on fossil fuels," it said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)