World Earth Day 2024: A look at how companies are taking steps to safeguard planet  

For this year’s Earth Day, the objective is to tackle plastic pollution

Earth Day is a reminder of our responsibility toward building a sustainable planet that is not scarred by the actions of mankind in its quest for development and profits.

Business organisations have also realised the urgency of the situation and have started implementing programmes which help in preserving the planet’s core natural offerings. Faced with the global plastic pollution crisis, companies are working assiduously to reduce plastic waste.

This year’s theme is ‘Planet vs Plastics’ and in alignment with it, HDFC Bank Parivartan has unveiled a unique 26-foot by 6-foot wall mural created by young students in partnership with the Waste Warriors Society in Barwala, Dharamshala.

“HDFC Bank Parivartan has taken a decisive stance against plastic pollution. Our initiatives align well with the theme of this year’s Earth Day, Plastic vs. Planet. We are dedicated to our commitment to drive positive change in rural communities by supporting sustainable waste management initiatives. Through our waste management initiatives, we reaffirm our dedication to cultivating a plastic-free future and enhancing the well-being of communities in ecologically sensitive regions,” said Nusrat Pathan, Head CSR, HDFC Bank.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor India Foundation’s  initiative of creating and donating bench and desk sets to schools utilising factory waste showcases a potential blueprint for waste recycling initiatives while McDonald's India- North and East has repurposed its out-of-home marketing material into school bags for kids.

Taking the battle to plastic pollution, ITC Hotels is among the first hotel chains to successfully mitigate single-use plastic at nearly 150 touch points, leading to a reduction of approximately 2.5 lakh kg of plastic waste annually. The brand’s plastic substitution efforts are founded on the reduce, reuse, recycle policy, and include a special packaging made from compostable material, installed glass-bottling plants on its premises to do away with plastic water bottles, trading plastic drinking straws and stirrers and other basic amenities with paper and wooden alternatives.

UFlex, India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and solutions company, has tied up with NGO Say Earth and engaged with 13 schools and educated more than 4,000 students on ecological balance and environmental sustainability.

“As one of the largest and fastest-growing economies globally, India stands at the cusp of leading transformative change towards climate action and sustainable growth. However, among the key challenges that we face, plastic pollution has seeped its way from urban landscapes into our natural ecological and biodiversity systems. Despite being among the lowest per capita plastic waste producers globally, India faces significant challenges in managing its plastic waste, primarily due to lack of understanding and ownership of waste disposal, segregation, and management. According to the Plastic Overshoot Day Report, around 68 percent of generated plastics waste in India is still being mismanaged. The release of microplastics and chemical additives into the environment pose grave risks to nature as well as the health of the citizens,” said Leena Dandekar, Founder, Raintree Foundation.