Ajinomoto Philippines Celebrates First Year of SariCycle®: From One To Malawakan
Ajinomoto Tuesday, January 21, 2025
FROM L-R: Ms. Lorelyn De Lara-Tamares – Executive Director, PASCO, Mr. Koichi Ozaki – President, APC Group and Atty. Dwight Ramos – Senior Vice President, BEST
Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC Group) welcomes the new year with a significant stride to sustainability by honoring yet another milestone, as it celebrates the first anniversary of SariCycle®, an incentivized plastic collection and recycling program. Together with the Quezon City Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department of Quezon City and Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies (BEST), what was once a newly introduced initiative, now has demonstrated the impact and effectiveness of communities working together in mitigating plastic waste and advocating for sustainability.
In its first year, the SariCycle® program has achieved commendable outcomes with 8.1 metric tons (8,100 kilograms) of single-use plastics collected, equivalent to over 16 million sachets, significantly reducing plastic waste in Quezon City. To have been able to achieve this, behind the project were 1,000 registered and active SariCyclers across 23 barangays, a testament to the rippled effect of community engagement who lived by their shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges beginning from their own communities.
During the celebration, APC Group celebrated and commended the Top SariCyclers whose contributions have played a significant role in the program’s success. These individuals exemplify the spirit of environmental stewardship, and without them, the project would not have been as successful as it is during its first year.
“This milestone is a true testament to what we can do as communities and organizations if we work hand in hand,” said Mr. Ernesto Carlos, APC’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “We are proud of what the SariCycle® program has accomplished in just one year, and we are optimistic that this inspires even more sari-sari store owners and communities to join us as we continue moving towards a more sustainable future by reducing plastic waste one community at a time.”
SariCycle® 1st Anniversary: From One To Malawakan
APC’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond the SariCycle® program, and to guide them on making future plans materialize, APC has pledged to reduce its environmental impact by 50% by 2030, which goes together with global efforts to combat climate change and promote environmental stewardship.
Building on the program’s success in Quezon City, APC Group is now looking to expand SariCycle® to other municipalities in partnership with the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO). This expansion aims to empower even more communities to take action against plastic pollution while fostering long-term partnerships for environmental preservation.
A Greener Future with SariCycle®
SariCycle®’s first anniversary celebration highlighted not only past achievements but also future ambitions. With the continued support of its partners, the SariCycle® program is set to make waves of positive change on communities across the Philippines, proving that collective action can pave the way for a more sustainable future.
As APC Group embarks on another year of SariCycle®, the message is clear: small steps, when taken together, create a ripple effect that can lead to monumental changes. Aligning with the remarkable results of the SariCycle® anniversary, the newly introduced campaign named From One To Malawakan, takes us into a visual storytelling of the SariCycler’s journey as living proof of how micro efforts joined together is capable of macro level-impact for the society.
For more information about SariCycle® visit the SariCycle FB Page.
