Business Desk

Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL), has partnered with Kewkradong Bangladesh (KB) to conduct Coastal Cleanup at the Saint Martin Island. 350 volunteers removed 1,500 kilograms of marine debris from the island’s beach and ensured safe disposal in the mainland. The predominant types of debris included food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, bottle caps, plastic bags, utensils, and lids.

Kewkradong Bangladesh (KB), Bangladesh’s Country Coordinator of the US-based non-profit Ocean Conservancy, has been conducting beach cleanups at Saint Martin’s Island for the past 13 years. The organisation has been associated with cleanup programmes along the Cox's Bazar - Teknaf peninsula and St. Martin's Island. These initiatives contributed to the collection of data on marine debris for the global record and analysis. This year, the initiative gains new momentum with the involvement of UBL, continuing the significant efforts that have mobilized over 5,700 volunteers and removed more than 28,500 kilograms of marine debris from the island’s shores.

Shamima Akhter, Director - Corporate Affairs, Partnerships & Communications, Unilever Bangladesh Limited, said, "Since 2020, Unilever Bangladesh has been dedicated to fulfilling its commitment to plastic sustainability through various initiatives. Since 2022, we have been collecting and processing more plastic than we sell in Bangladesh. However, we recognize that plastic waste pollution is too large of an issue for us to tackle alone. We must collaborate to design scalable systems and interventions that will reduce our environmental footprints and protect vulnerable ecosystems, such as St. Martin's Island. This year, the St. Martin Coastal Cleanup, in partnership with Kewkradong Bangladesh, engaged youth volunteers and the local community to foster a sense of shared responsibility and demonstrate our commitment to improving the ecosystem."

Muntasir Mamun, Country co-coordinator, Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, said, “It is a wonderful thing that Bangladesh is the biggest delta on Earth and has incredible sea beaches in various locations. Saint Martin is one of the national treasures of this country. However, evolving socioeconomic challenges are consistently creating a threat to the biodiversity of the beautiful island and the seashore. We believe Unilever’s proactive environmental stewardship will reach a new height as together, our partnership will inspire others to do what’s good for Bangladesh.”

Unilever Bangladesh has been playing a significant role in supporting Bangladesh to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the plastic waste management remains a pressing environmental challenge for Bangladesh, UBL remains dedicated to fostering impactful partnerships. As pioneers of plastic waste value chain intervention in Bangladesh, Unilever Bangladesh has taken transformative actions to tackle plastic waste management in the country.

The company is running country’s largest plastic waste management initiative in Chattogram and have been driving innovation for virgin plastic reduction and refill solution. Besides, the company is working to raise awareness among consumers all over Bangladesh.