ISLAMABAD: The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) is supporting the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to launch a pilot project titled ‘Sustainability & Decent Work in Pakistan’s PET Recycling Value Chain,’providing USD 500,000 for the project, which will be implemented in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)—an area that generates over 3,300 tons of municipal solid waste daily, of which an estimated 79% is recyclable.
The partnership was formalized in Islamabad by Dr Faisal Hashmi, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Communication & Sustainability, Coca-Cola Pakistan; Jennifer Ankrom, Country Manager, UNOPS Pakistan; and Geir Tonstol, Country Director, ILO Pakistan. Representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNOPS’ key project partner, were also present.
Key project activities include a comprehensive analysis of sectoral challenges, occupational safety and health training for waste pickers and handlers, facilitation of cooperative formation for waste pickers, and a diagnostic study to map the PET value chain. ILO, as the UN agency for decent work, will contribute essential expertise on labor rights, occupational safety, and worker formalization.
“This collaboration with UNOPS demonstrates The Coca-Cola Foundation’s commitment to advancing waste collection and management systems while ensuring that those at the heart of the system—the informal waste pickers—receive the recognition, protection, and opportunities they deserve,” said Carlos Pagoaga, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation.
Dr Faisal Hashmi senior director Public Affairs Communication and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Pakistan, echoed this commitment, “We thank TCCF for their support. This project represents a tangible step forward in creating shared value in the local community.”
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Ms Jennifer Ankrom, Country Manager, UNOPS Pakistan, said: “By strengthening the PET recycling value chain, this initiative not only addresses the urgent challenge of plastic pollution but also empowers Pakistan’s informal waste pickers with safer, more dignified livelihoods. Together with The Coca-Cola Foundation, we are establishing a model to transform waste into opportunity.”
Geir Tonstol, Country Director for the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Pakistan, emphasized that improving the PET recycling value chain requires both technical solutions and a strong focus on people. He stated that this partnership offers an important opportunity to enhance working conditions for informal waste pickers and promote decent work practices throughout the system, drawing on ILO’s core expertise.
According to WWF, Pakistan generates nearly two million tonnes of plastic waste each year, 86% of which is not properly managed. Like many developing countries, Pakistan faces major challenges in waste collection and management, resulting in significant environmental impacts. The outcomes of this pilot project are expected to promote the adoption of a similar framework for more sustainable and inclusive waste collection, management, and recycling at the national level.
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