The glass manufacturer’s recycling and sustainability strategies continue to minimise South Africa’s carbon footprint.
Consol Glass has made a commitment to the sustainable use of limited resources and the responsible recycling of re-usable materials to minimise its carbon footprint. This pledge has had a positive impact on the company and its employees, encouraging Consol to constantly improve on its sustainability and recycling efforts.
Recycling glass doesn’t just help reduce carbon emissions, it also fuels entrepreneurship and job creation through its income generation potential.
Working towards sustainability
Reducing the total carbon footprint of processed glass on the environment is one of the key responsibilities Consol strives to fulfil as the largest glass manufacturer in sub-Saharan Africa. “We see it as our responsibility to drive positive environmental change in the packaging manufacturing industry.”
To this effect, new sustainability strategies have been implemented to continue the reduction of its carbon footprint. Consol’s ‘cradle-to-cradle’ approach considers the environmental impact of glass from processing, through to manufacturing and delivery to customers, and how it’s recovered and recycled. “The goal is for glass to be produced, used, recovered and eventually recycled with the smallest possible impact on the environment.”
Embracing opportunities to make a difference
Consol Glass has already invested more than R240 million in the equipment and processes required to recycle glass and has contributed to the placement of over 3 000 bottle banks in cities throughout South Africa.
As a proudly South African business, Consol Glass says it’s committed to embracing opportunities where it can make a meaningful difference to some of South Africa’s disadvantaged citizens while driving SA forward.
1% of all after-tax earnings is allocated to funding projects aimed at making a sustainable difference to South Africa’s disadvantaged communities, while Consol’s Executive Board’s annual evaluations of its community investment programmes ensure its CSI investments remain impactful. The company’s main focus areas are:
- Education
- Welfare
- Health
- Crime prevention
In early 2017, Consol Glass donated R30 000 to FoodForward SA, to assist in the collection and distribution of surplus food. This contribution resulted in 34 883 meals being donated.