By providing reusable alternatives to employees, the company stopped consuming 65,000 disposable cups per month
The Philip Morris Brasil (PMB) factory in Santa Cruz do Sul (RS) started 2020 without promises, but with concrete action in the area of Sustainability: it implemented the No Disposable Cups project and, before the end of January, it had already managed to reach zero consumption of 65 thousand units of the product per month in its facilities.
The initiative by the unit's Health, Safety and Environment department is aligned with the company's global commitment to reducing its environmental impact and sustainably managing the planet's limited resources. The objective is to eliminate the sending of any waste to landfills by 2022, which includes plastic cups containing beverage waste, which are not viable for recyclability.
According to the Health, Safety and Environment Manager, Eduardo Schmitt, a preliminary study was carried out to identify the best substitute for plastic cups: the opinion of employees was decisive in defining, through their needs, the type of product – bottles and mugs - which would be made available by the company. In addition, employee awareness was raised. “They received guidance on the positive impact of eliminating plastic waste from the environment. Based on the information, which took into account workstation, mobility and easy cleaning, we chose two models of reusable kits for drinking coffee and water, which were provided to employees”, he explains.
The administrative area started using a stainless steel water bottle (squeeze) and, for coffee, a mug made of the same material. Operational employees received a stainless steel and acrylic bottle with a metal cup attached. The kits are personalized with the company logo, have cleaning instructions and handles to facilitate movement around the factory. The 1,400 pieces also have stickers and labels for customization: this allows employees to personalize their kits, avoiding exchanges.
Third-party engagement
To truly eliminate the consumption of plastic cups, service providers at the PMB factory were also involved in the project. The transformation also included visitors and suppliers, who now receive reusable cups for water and coffee during their stay at the factory. “Everyone participated. With this change in behavior at the factory, we stopped consuming 65,000 plastic cups per month, we encouraged our employees to raise awareness about preserving the environment and reinforced our commitment to sustainability”, highlights Schmitt.
PMI has global sustainability practices. To find out more, visit: https://www.pmi.com/sustainability/sustainability-report.
