Mondelēz International in the Philippines has collected 102,000 kilos of post-consumer plastic waste with partner Geocycle in the areas of Bulacan, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, and La Union.
“Sustainability, particularly in the area of packaging and plastic waste, is one of the pillars of our strategy as a company,” said Ashish Pisharodi, Country Director for Mondelēz International in the Philippines.
“We call it sustainable snacking—a commitment to grow our business by making our snacks in the right way, with positive impact for people and the planet. This new partnership with Geocycle is one way we are showing our commitment to consumers, our stakeholders, our own people, and the environment.”
Starting in 2019 with a collection of just 1,000 kilos of plastic waste for the entire year, Mondelēz International has been steadily understanding the opportunities for waste collection in the Philippines.
In 2021, the company achieved a milestone of 172,000 kilos of collection and diversion of plastic waste.
This year, the company partnered with Geocycle, the waste management unit of building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. The amount of waste collected and diverted through Geocycle is equal to the weight of 70 cars.
Increasingly, consumers are expecting companies to make more than just delicious products. According to Mondelēz International’s 3rd State of Snacking report, “85 percent of global consumers surveyed said they either buy or would like to buy snacks from companies that are working to offset their environmental impact.”
Supporting environmental goals is something people demand of the companies who make products they consume. Some 70 percent of the respondents give more value to brands that act in a responsible, transparent, and honest way towards the community, according to a Kantar survey in 2021.
“We are extremely pleased to be working with Mondelēz International and supporting their sustainability journey,” said Jon Alan Cuyno, New Revenue Streams Manager of Geocycle.
“Our aim is to promote the transition towards a more extensive circular economy and create a zero-waste future. This means a future where plastic and other materials are not treated as waste; but are reused and repurposed to preserve natural resources and prevent pollution while producing essential building materials for development,” Cuyno added.
Mondelēz International similarly supports the circular economy of plastics. In 2021, the company pledged support for the Circulate Capital Ocean Fund (CCOF) as a limited partner. This involved an investment in CCOF to support scalable business solutions, thereby helping develop infrastructure for the collecting, sorting and recycling of plastic waste, including flexible films or sachets.