{"id":16828,"date":"2025-03-28T00:01:58","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T00:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gzjyws.com\/?p=16828"},"modified":"2025-04-07T01:36:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T01:36:50","slug":"celebrating-the-international-day-of-zero-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gzjyws.com\/id\/celebrating-the-international-day-of-zero-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the International Day of Zero Waste"},"content":{"rendered":"
On March 30th, we celebrate the International Day of Zero Waste<\/strong>, a day organized in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The purpose of this day is to emphasize the critical need for effective waste management worldwide and to promote sustainable consumption and production practices to address the waste pollution crisis.<\/p>\n Why is this important to GMG? Minimising waste and fostering sustainable practices is central to our mission, as sustainability is deeply integrated into our values, supported by our ‘Make a Difference’<\/strong> (MAD) framework. Launched in August 2022, this strategy aligns with global sustainability goals and is built on three key pillars: Planet Forward, <\/strong>Inspire<\/strong> People, and Own Change.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Planet Forward pillar is particularly relevant in the context of zero waste. This pillar highlights our commitment to environmental stewardship through efficient energy, water, and waste management.<\/p>\n Efficient wastewater treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n At our Mega DC facility, we operate a sewage treatment plant that processes wastewater from both the warehouse and the administrative building. The treated water is repurposed for irrigation<\/strong>, reducing our reliance on freshwater resources. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, this initiative resulted in savings of AED 201,358, with an additional AED 138,278.16 saved in 2023-2024 due to the reuse of approximately 3.46 million US gallons of water. This brings our total savings to AED 339,636.16 over the two years, demonstrating our dedication to water conservation.<\/p>\n Transforming used cooking oil into biodiesel<\/strong><\/p>\n In partnership with Neutral Fuels, we convert used cooking oil (UCO) from our Farm Fresh meat factory into biodiesel. This process not only provides a renewable energy source<\/strong> but also exemplifies circular economy principles by transforming waste into valuable resources. Since the project’s inception, we have collected 7,550 liters of UCO, yielding 9,450 liters of biodiesel and reducing CO\u2082 emissions by 26,969 kgCO2<\/sub>e.<\/p>\n Promoting circularity through ‘Gift It Forward’<\/strong><\/p>\n Our contribution to the Dubai Holding ‘Gift It Forward<\/strong>‘ campaign highlights our focus on circularity by repurposing 15,987 items of new inventory into meaningful gifts for low-income beneficiaries across the UAE. With a retail value of AED 738,823, contributions have come from various business units, including Home, Sports, Everyday Goods, and Health & Beauty, demonstrating our collective commitment to promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production) and community well-being.<\/p>\n UAE Food Bank Partnership<\/strong><\/p>\n GMG is proud to partner with the UAE Food Bank as part of our commitment to sustainability and community support. Since the partnership began on 12 August 2024, several GMG supermarkets, including Geant, Dubai Hills and Aswaaq locations in Umm Suqeim, Al Warqa, and Al Mizhar, have been actively donating surplus food items to help support low income communities and reduce waste. To date, 40,064 food items have been donated, with a retail value of AED 104,930. This initiative is a key part of GMG\u2019s ongoing efforts to make a positive impact on both the environment and society.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n On this International Day of Zero Waste, GMG reaffirms its dedication to sustainability through initiatives that conserve resources, reduce waste, and support our communities. Guided by our ‘Make a Difference’ framework, we aim to inspire positive environmental and social impacts, contributing to a more sustainable and harmonious future for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On March 30th, we celebrate the International Day of Zero Waste, a day organized in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The purpose of this day is to emphasize the critical need for effective waste management worldwide and to promote sustainable consumption and production practices to… Continue reading Celebrating the International Day of Zero Waste<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":16829,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[419],"tags":[79,89,296],"class_list":["post-16828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories-from-the-inside","tag-retail","tag-logistics","tag-sustainability","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n