Sealed Air Innovates to Reduce Waste and Benefit Local Communities
Written by: Sealed Air
At Sealed Air we are innovating ways to reduce waste and benefit society. Through partnerships with our customers, we have developed shared value programs that create a circular solution for discarded products, giving them new life. Instead of disposing in landfills, we work with our customers to recycle the products in a way which benefits local impoverished communities. We improve the lives of people around the world by addressing pressing needs in the communities where we and our customers operate.
Sealed Air’s hotel linen re-purposing program, Linens for Life™, is a powerful example of resourceful innovation. Instead of simply destroying or discarding used, out of service hotel linens, Sealed Air teams had a better idea. When linens are past their usable life, they are collected and provided to the Linens for Life program. The program provides Sealed Air hotel partners with a meaningful way to reduce their waste while giving back to their local communities. The linens are redistributed and repurposed by local artisans who find creative ways to reuse the discarded linens and re-sell them.
The program is currently active in many countries including Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Africa. Linens for Life provides both a skill and a livelihood for families who previously may have struggled to support themselves. The linens can be repurposed and sewn into new sheets, pillow cases, clothing items, curtains, table cloths or any creative idea the local artisans choose.
In addition to the linens, Sealed Air teams donated sewing machines to local participants in Hong Kong for International Women’s Day, which was held in March. Many villagers cannot afford sewing machines, therefore the chance to both learn the skill and the provision of the necessary tools became more than just a chance at a better life, it was a true gift to the women of Hong Kong.
Because of the initial success of this program in Asia, Sealed Air is exploring expansion of this program into other regions.
“Sealed Air’s Linens for Life program is an excellent example of how value can be created for both business and for society”, according to Ron Cotterman, VP of Sustainability at Sealed Air. “These programs demonstrate how successful partnerships can support business goals and drive a sense of purpose to realizing circular economies.”
Whether it is providing job training for citizens who previously could not provide for their families, assisting thousands stranded by war, or working to enable and advance women’s careers, Sealed Air is committed to being a caring global citizen.
Read more about our progress towards our 2020 Sustainability Goals in the latest Sustainability Report.
