By Dipo Olowookere
In its bid to ‘End Plastic Pollution,’ which is the theme of this year’s Earth Day, celebrated globally every year on April 22, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has entered into a strategic agreement with a recycling company called RecyclePoints Limited to collect and recycle waste materials generated at the NSE offices.
RecyclePoints Limited is a waste recycling and social benefit company that motivates people to recycle their everyday waste by creating value from recycled products and operating incentive based schemes.
During the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both parties, the NSE’s Head of Shared Services Division, Mr Bola Adeeko, stated that, “As a sustainable stock exchange, we are committed to supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as it relates to responsible production and consumption.
“In addition, environmental sustainability is one of our key CSR pillars and we believe that reducing the waste we send to the landfills through effective recycling is good for the environment and for the economy as well.
“By sorting our waste and sending applicable items such as paper, plastic and glass etc. for recycling, we are creating jobs for the recycling sector and helping industries save cost on essential raw materials, while actively protecting the environment.
“More importantly, as a leader in the African business space, we are confident that this move will encourage other businesses to embrace corporate recycling, thereby igniting a good waste management culture across board.”
Also commenting, the CEO of Recyclepoints Limited, Mr Mazi Ukonu, remarked that, “We at RecyclePoints are very delighted that the NSE, as a responsible corporate citizen, has taken this bold step to implement a Corporate Recycling Program through our platform, thus further strengthening the achievement of its sustainability and environmental commitments.
“There has been a global call for corporate entities to create shared value and explore solving social issues as opportunities for competitive advantage.
“Signing this MoU exemplifies NSE’s strategic plan in finding innovate avenues of helping to solve social problems.”
Mr Ukonu also called on entities quoted on the Exchange to emulate NSE by subscribing to RecyclePoints’ Corporate Recycling Program.
Business Post reports that the NSE, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive, is always seeking innovative ways to reduce its environmental footprint.
RecyclePoints will commence the deal at the Lagos and Ibadan offices of the stock exchange under RecyclePoints’ Corporate Recycling Program. The NSE commenced an internal workplace recycling program in 2013.
