Unilever Indonesia has long run various programs to collect, reduce and manage plastic waste, which is an important part of the Company's strategy. In 2023, the Company recorded a plastic waste collection and management figure of 56,159 tons – more than what is used to sell the Company's products.
This appreciation is a way of recognizing the Company's long-term commitment to advocate policies while promoting the handling of plastic waste, which is one of the sustainability agendas to encourage a greener and more sustainable Indonesia.
Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, Director-General of Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste, and Hazardous Substances Management (PSLB3), KLHK RI, said: “The increasingly complicated issue of plastic waste must be handled together by all sectors, including the Government and business actors. For this reason, KLHK RI issued Permen LHK Number 75/2019 concerning the road map for waste reduction by producers. Several business actors have received acknowledgements of appreciation, including Unilever Indonesia, which has consistently carried out these roles and responsibilities. We appreciate Unilever Indonesia’s consistency in realizing several of its waste reduction targets.”
KLHK RI commended 20 FMCG & retail companies that reduced producers’ packaging waste through their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Unilever Indonesia is one of the few companies that has submitted a Waste Reduction Roadmap to KLHK RI in 2021 containing strategies for handling plastic waste from upstream to downstream.
In terms of upstream, Unilever Indonesia has been focusing on implementing a circular economy by innovating packaging that uses less plastic, instead using more recyclable plastic. In the middle, the Company consistently collects and sorts its waste, while in the downstream, it encourages the use of plastic waste as a renewable energy source. All of these strategies involve collaboration with the Government, the private sector, and the public, who all have an important role in managing plastic packaging waste after use.
Nurdiana Darus, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs of Unilever Indonesia, explained: “The company has a long track record of realizing the sustainability agenda; Unilever is now entering the third era with the ‘Growth Action Plan (GAP) Sustainability Goals’. With ambitious but more realistic targets, we will take more action based on urgency by focusing on four issues: climate, nature, plastics and livelihoods. To implement these plans, we are integrating our sustainability and business agendas for a greener and more sustainable environment while continuing to work systemically for a more holistic impact.”
“Unilever Indonesia will continue to minimize plastic waste and maximize both the use and reuse of recycled materials to support the creation of a circular economy. In addition, the Company will establish collaborations that support the creation of changes in waste management behavior at the household level and actively advocate fellow business actors to carry out sustainable business practices – especially in terms of handling plastic waste – as part of our joint efforts to acheive Zero Waste Zero Emission 2050,” Nurdiana concluded.