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On October 19, 2023, VietCycle Corporation coordinated with Unilever Vietnam International Company Limited to organize a Ceremony to honor the “Green warriors” for a civilized Vietnam with waste to honor 300 female waste collectors belong to the informal labor sector. Attending the Honor Ceremony were representatives of leaders of VietCycle, Unilever, Tridi (Indonesia), Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam Women’s Union (Women’s Union), Hanoi Women’s Union and female waste collectors from the localities of Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Honor Ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan – Director of VietCycle Company said that with the mission of turning waste into resources, over the past years the Company has made efforts to build a plastic waste collection system with the community, including 3,000 workers from localities. The company has also accompanied Unilever to implement the Project: “Revitalizing plastic waste” with the purpose of building a circular economy model to collect, classify and recycle plastic waste. The company always considers female waste collectors as green warriors who are fighting waste day and night, and are the core force in environmental protection work. The company always appreciates the women’s steadfastness, diligence in their profession, patience, and always focusing on their families. At the same time, I am also very impressed when there are women who are unfortunately sick or have difficult circumstances but do not forget the joy of life, always strive and are proud of their work in their chosen profession. Today’s program is organized to encourage, appreciate and honor the silent women in the network, helping them stick to their profession and have a better life.
Sharing about the role of women in environmental protection, contributing to improving the landscape of Hanoi city to become green, clean and beautiful, Mr. Do Duc Thanh – Deputy Head of Solid Waste Management Department – Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment said, with the amount of recyclable waste in the city about 1,000 tons/day – 1,700 tons/day, the current collection of recyclable waste is done mainly by informal workers in the recycling industry who buy or collect, waste from individuals, households, streets; The people who sort, transport and recycle form a widespread network of occupational commuities, whose workforce is predominantly female (more than 90%). This workforce in recent times has made an important contribution to environmental protection, minimizing the amount of generated waste that needs to be processed at the city’s centralized treatment areas, especially reducing the amount of inorganic waste that has components that are difficult to decompose in the environment such as plastic waste, along with reducing the amount of resources that need to be exploited. On the part of the management agency, I would like to sincerely thank and appreciate the participation of female workers in recent times and hope that they will still actively participate, perfect and promote their role to promote waste sorting and recycling, contributing to building a civilized and modern Hanoi capital.
Representatives of leaders of VietCycle, Unilever, Vietnam Women’s Union and green warriors participated in the discussion
Introducing the program “Reviving plastic waste” according to the circular economy model, Ms. Le Thi Hong Nhi – Director of Communications, External Relations and Sustainable Development of Unilever said that the Company has made commitments on plastic, with the goal is to have 100% packaging recycled by 2025; cut 50% of virgin plastic; Collect and process 100% plastic waste. To achieve the above goals, in October 2021, Unilever and VietCycle launched the project “Reviving plastic waste”, including the following components: collecting and processing plastic waste in Vietnam towards a circular economy of plastic waste; education and communication; Improve capacity and support informal waste workers. The results show that the Project has contributed to improving working conditions, labor safety, health and life for the waste collection workforce. Also on this occasion last year (October 2022) and this year (October 2023), the female labor force was honored to empower women to develop and create positive added value for society and community, thereby enhancing women’s position in family and society, contributing to promoting commitment to gender equality.
Sharing about the experience of recycling plastic waste locally, Director of Tridi (Indonesia) of ALBA Asia Group said that in Indonesia (which is recognized as the country with the second largest amount of ocean plastic waste in the world), Tridi enterprise was established in 2016 and began implementing projects to collect and recycle plastic waste. When we first started our business, we met with waste collectors to buy their waste and sort all the plastic waste by type and color. Thanks to the tireless efforts of this workforce, it has helped reduce plastic waste and conserve natural resources.
Mr. Hoang Duc Vuong – Chairman of Vietnam Recycled Plastics Association, Chairman of VietCycle Corporation participated in a basketball game with female green warriors
Following the Honor Ceremony, a discussion “Job Stories” took place, two female waste collectors representing green warriors shared about the hardships and making a living while working. Listening and sympathizing with the silent work of collecting and classifying plastic waste, Mr. Hoang Duc Vuong – Chairman of the Vietnam Recycled Plastics Association, Chairman of VietCycle Corporation also proposed: The government needs to have a regime to support this informal workforce to ensure jobs and livelihoods for them when implementing new policies on environmental protection.
At the end of the Program, many gifts were given to female green warriors by representatives of Unilever and VietCycle, contributing to timely encouragement and support for women to develop their full potential to build a green, sustainable environment.
