Bengaluru November 29, 2023: Flipkart Group has taken strides towards addressing the alarming issue of the growing landfills in India. It has successfully managed to divert approximately 3000 tonnes of non-hazardous solid waste in one year , beginning with four of its facilities that achieved TRUE Gold certification for their zero waste efforts. TRUE-certified projects must meet stringent resource management goals, diverting at least 90% of a facility's waste from landfills, incineration, and the environment.

Flipkart's TRUE-certified facilities are located in Farrukhnagar (Haryana), Uluberia (West Bengal), Malur (Karnataka) and Renaissance (Maharashtra). These facilities account for an area of 1.8 million sq ft. Flipkart has demonstrated its commitment to promoting a circular economy and is embracing the Zero Waste policy. The organization has not only met but surpassed the certification's requirements for diversion rates, achieving more than 97% waste diversion across all four sites.

The Zero Waste policy is dedicated to setting benchmarks, monitoring performance, educating employees, and providing innovative solutions that move organizations closer to zero-waste. Key initiatives undertaken by Flipkart include the following:

Implementation of sustainable waste management practices , such as localized signage, on-site waste storage, dedicated staff for waste sorting, and in-house data reporting using recommended templates.

Enhanced waste collection efficiency achieved by transitioning from a single-bin system, conducting regular vendor due diligence, and ensuring data receipt from vendors in accordance with established templates.

Careful sorting of waste into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and residual solid categories, optimizing waste management.

Prioritize data collection on low-value waste which lack recycling market value, to achieve higher diversion rates.

Training all employees, and fostering zero-waste relationships with vendors, creating a holistic approach towards sustainability.

Flipkart has also transitioned to 100% paper-based packaging at all its warehouses since 2021, significantly reducing its plastic footprint. Other sustainability initiatives include electrification of the logistics fleet, energy efficiency practices, increased use of renewable energy, Green Building, and Sustainable packaging.

Flipkart deployed the 'Clean Campus movement' at its warehouses to foster employee education. The organization will also balance out the packaging consumption versus the scrap disposal equation by using the same scrap as raw material for fresh production. This initiative will further help reduce the use of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. The Circular Economy approach has been activated across 13 sites, translating to approximately 50% of Flipkart's total paper scrap generation.

The Zero Waste programme is one of the essential strategies to address the decarbonisation pathway along with protecting the environment and enabling cost savings and social benefits

Hemant Badri, Senior Vice President and Head of Supply Chain, Customer Experience and ReCommerce, Flipkart Group, said, "Our progress towards achieving our sustainability goals has been transformative, marked by relentless innovation, and a shared sense of responsibility. In this journey, our four TRUE Gold certifications for zero waste awarded by Green Business Certification Inc. is another important step as we continue to set a resolute benchmark for sustainable e-commerce that redefines the industry. By embracing resource efficiency and minimizing waste, we at Flipkart believe that e-commerce can be both environment-friendly and maximize value at the same time. These certifications validate our promise to continue pioneering eco-conscious commerce, impacting our business and the world we share."

Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group said, "Building a sustainable future for all and also contributing to India's commitment on Climate goals is a responsibility we take seriously at the Flipkart Group and the TRUE Gold certifications for our zero waste initiative stand testimony to our focus on this mission."

Peter Templeton, President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and GBCI noted, "Implementing zero waste business practices requires rethinking, retraining, new tools and strong leadership to change current waste systems. With Flipkart's leadership in this endeavor, they are making great strides for their employees, community and consumers at large."

The Flipkart Group is one of India's leading digital commerce entities and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, Flipkart Health+, and Cleartrip. Established in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of sellers, merchants, and small businesses to participate in India's digital commerce revolution. With a registered customer base of more than 500 million, Flipkart's marketplace offers over 150 million products across 80+ categories. Today, there are over 14 lakh sellers on the platform, including Shopsy sellers. Flipkart has created lakhs of jobs in the ecosystem while empowering generations of entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI and easy returns.

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