A statement issued by Nestlé Central & West Africa Region and copied to the Ghana News Agency said its vision is that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfill or as litter and that there is an urgent need to minimize the impact of packaging on the environment.

Mr Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO, said “Plastic waste is one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today. Tackling it requires a collective approach. We are committed to finding improved solutions to reduce, re-use and recycle. Our ambition is to achieve 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025.”

The statement said the company focuses on three core areas: eliminate non-recyclable plastics; encourage the use of plastics that allow better recycling rates; and eliminate or change complex combinations of packaging materials.

The statement said recognizing the need for developing a circular economy; Nestlé was committed to playing an active role in the development of well-functioning collection, sorting and recycling schemes across the countries where we operated and working with value chain partners and industry associations to explore different packaging solutions to reduce plastic usage.

Others, the statement said, were to facilitate recycling and develop new approaches to eliminate plastic waste, label its, plastic product packaging with recycling information to help consumers dispose of it in the right way, and promote a market for recycled plastics by continuing to increase the proportion of recycled plastics in our packaging.

“Preventing packaging material ending up as waste, including in seas, oceans and waterways is one of the key reasons behind Nestlé’s pledge.

“In Central & West Africa Region, Nestlé has embarked on efforts to address the issue of recycling and plastic waste management.

“In Ghana, Nestlé is a founding member of an industry-led coalition called the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE), made up of eight major manufacturing companies including Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical West Africa, Fan Milk, Guinness, PZ Cussons, Unilever and Voltic. This coalition is under the auspices of the Association of Ghana Industries.

“Since its launch in November 2017, GRIPE, among others, seeks to integrate sustainable waste management solutions by advocating for improved waste management practices, contributing to increased collection and recycling rates countrywide, providing employment opportunities through scalable recycling solutions, and engaging with the government to help tackle the problem of plastic waste in Ghana”.

Mrs Freda Duplan, Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana, said: “Industry has a role to play in addressing issues of plastic waste.  At Nestlé, we believe that innovation is key to curbing the plastic menace in Ghana and we are committed to supporting Government’s efforts through our membership with GRIPE.

“This is also in line with our ambition to strive for zero environmental impact in our operations by 2030”.

Mr Gideon Du Plessis, Head of Technical at Nestlé Central & West Africa Region reinforced Nestlé’s commitments, from now until 2025.

“We are committed to taking concrete steps to be part of the solution, by ensuring that we work to ensuring a sustainable environment.

“This is in line with our company’s purpose to enhance the quality of life and contribute to a healthier future. Caring for the planet by safeguarding the environment for future generations, starts with companies like ours taking steps to lead the way,” he said.