ITC’s YiPPee! Better World Program, in collaboration with the NGO partner ‘Way for life,’ has been working tirelessly to promote awareness on plastic waste management among school students. This year, the initiative reached over 14 lakh students across 3000 schools in 85 cities across India. As part of its efforts, YiPPee! has recycled 16,600 kilograms of plastic waste into 908 benches, desks, and other useful items, which will be donated to schools.
A highlight of the program was the YiPPee! Better World Science Mela, held at the Government Higher Primary School in Whitefield, Bengaluru. The event aimed to further the cause of sustainability and promote the 3R principles—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The Science Mela was inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Agatha Betsy, Head - Nutrition Sciences at ITC Ltd., Mr. Muthu Krishna Moorthy, GM & Head – ICML Malur at ITC Ltd., and H. Vijayalakshmi, Head Master of Government Higher Primary School.
The event featured a science exhibition with students showcasing their innovative projects on sustainability. A drawing competition was also held to encourage students to express their views on environmental themes, while eco-conscious products were promoted through student-run stalls. Additionally, 100 desks and benches made from recycled plastic waste were deployed in the school, further advancing the program’s mission to promote a circular economy and responsible waste management.
The YiPPee! Better World Program, launched in 2022, has already made a significant impact. Through this initiative, ITC has engaged with over 21 lakh students in more than 4000 schools, educating them on responsible waste management. The programme has also collected over 58,000 kilograms of plastic waste and provided more than 4,000 desks and benches made from recycled plastic. This is in line with ITC’s broader commitment to achieving plastic neutrality in partnership with government and civic bodies.
Kavita Chaturvedi, COO, Snacks, Noodles & Pasta, ITC Foods, spoke about the initiative: “In line with ITC’s commitment to sustainability, The YiPPee! Better World Program has spearheaded initiatives to instil environmental responsibility in young minds while actively working towards a cleaner future. By inculcating the habit of waste-segregation and recycling waste into useful resources for schools, we are not only promoting plastic waste management but also empowering the next generation to become champions of sustainability.”
ITC’s efforts extend beyond the YiPPee! Better World Program. Since FY 2021-22, ITC has maintained its Plastic Neutrality status, implementing large-scale solid waste management projects based on the principles of the circular economy. In FY 2023-24, ITC collected and sustainably managed around 70,000 tonnes of plastic waste across India, exceeding the total plastic packaging utilised by the company. Furthermore, ITC’s flagship ‘Well-Being Out of Waste’ (WOW) program has reached over 25 million citizens across 6.4 million households, 6.7 million schoolchildren, and more than 2,200 corporates since its inception.
