PETALING JAYA: Southeast Asia super app Grab Holdings Ltd has announced a new target to achieve zero packaging waste in nature by 2040, aimed at tackling the packaging waste problem in Southeast Asia as part of its Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments.
The new waste goal, announced in conjunction with the release of Grab’s 2022 ESG report, adds to Grab’s existing environmental target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040.
“We recognise that food packaging waste is an inherent by-product of our food delivery platform,” Grab said in a statement.
Cheryl Goh, Group Head of Marketing and Sustainability, said Grab Change has to happen throughout the value chain, and it is committed to proactively seeking and developing sustainable, inclusive answers.
“This means both being introspective, while working with other parties in the ecosystem such as regulators, packaging manufacturers, waste management firms, merchant-partners, and consumers,” said Goh.
Grab has mapped out a two-phase approach to reach its waste target. In Phase 1, Grab will focus on reducing over-packaging and replacing single use-plastics with compostables. The company will also work on developing reverse logistics mechanisms to increase the adoption of reusable and recyclable packaging.
This builds on efforts that have begun since 2019 to encourage consumers to opt out from receiving single-use cutlery for their food delivery orders. To date, it said that it has saved more than 23,800 tonnes of waste, with 898 million sets of cutlery weighing 8,088 tonnes saved from 2022 alone.
Phase 1 will run until 2030, with the aim of having 30% of plastic packaging diverted by then. Phase 2 will focus on developing long-term scalable solutions to contribute towards a circular economy by performing proper waste collection and supporting the use of reusable packaging, enabling Grab to achieve its target of zero packaging waste in nature by 2040.
Grab’s latest ESG report also tracked the company’s impact in 2022 across key priority areas: to create opportunities for everyday entrepreneurs to build sustainable livelihoods; to maintain a safe and trusted platform as a top priority; and to accelerate efforts towards carbon neutrality.