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As a result, environmentally responsible
activities like recycling are becoming increasingly important.
Eager to take this philosophy one step forward, waste collection
company Enviro Green Technologies (EGT) has introduced a
programme that makes it easy for corporates to answer their
obligations to their environment, while being socially
responsible too.
Victoria Grant, national NGO coordinator at
EGT, maintains that social responsibility has always been a
vital part of the company’s ethos. “Since its establishment
in 2001, EGT has realized the value in supporting charities that
make a crucial contribution to our society,” she says. In
today’s business environment, most corporates and individuals
share that view – but it isn’t always easy to translate
compassion into effective action. EGT has made it possible to do
just that with an innovative programme that helps client
organizations channel funds to worthy causes.
How does it work? “Simple,” says Grant.
“EGT is affiliated to a number of different charities and
NGOs, including the SPCA
Johannesburg and Roodepoort; Childline; WWF-SA; the
Paediatric HIV Foundation and Highway Aged. While we do not
undertake fundraising specifically for each charity, we allow
them to leverage off our infrastructure and resources to collect
funds.” In essence, EGT acts as a conduit: every month, the
company purchases e-waste (including cartridges, old
computers, monitors, printers and mobile phones) as well as
conventional waste such as tin, paper, glass and cans. Instead
of ploughing the sum back into their own organization, many
of EGT’s clients opt to donate the monies to one of its
affiliated charities, or to a charity of their choice. In this
manner, EGT successfully raised more than R200 000 for NGOs
during 2005.
“It’s a true win-win solution,” Grant
observes. “Companies produce waste every day, so they’re
able to undertake a corporate social responsibility initiative
by doing nothing more
than going about their daily activities. At the same time, they’re
sparing the environment by recycling potentially hazardous
materials. Charities, on the other hand, have access to a
sustainable income stream.”
Best of all, both parties enjoy these
benefits with little effort on their part. “It takes no more
energy to set aside a cartridge to be recycled than to throw it
in the bin. Yet by doing so, you’re committing a double good
deed: protecting the earth’s resources while contributing to a
person in need.” To put that
into perspective, consider that every R5 donated to Childline
pays for a counselling phone call from an abused child, while
R20 provides a day’s accommodation, food and care in a safe
house for child victims of rape, abuse, and severe neglect.
At present, EGT’s NGO scheme is supported
by approximately 60 organizsations, but Grant is determined to
see this number grow. That’s why she engages with EGT’s
clients regularly,
highlighting the importance of recycling while showing them how
their funds have benefited their chosen charity. “There’s no
doubt that recycling is about to become a big part of our
realities, enforced through legislation. I believe that more
corporates will awaken to the fact that there is value in
supporting the charities and other institutions that add value
to our society, as well as safeguarding our resources for the
future – and that it’s possible to do both at the same time,”
Grant states.
For more information, contact Enviro Green
Technologies 0860 5700 00.
Extract from "The South African
" February 2006
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