March 2023 - Roshan Packages Limited

Monthly Archives: March 2023

The Circular Economy: Towards a Roshan Pakistan

Every spring, Lahore experiences a brief period of refreshing weather. This year, a novel gathering of professionals took place during this period. 28^th of February 2023 marked the day Roshan Packages Limited held its Annual Sustainability Conference at the beautiful Royal Palm Golf and Country Club.

Roshan Packages Limited or RPL is a one-of-a-kind business in the region. Based on the principles of ethical functionality, it has stood apart for its commitment to protecting the local environment meanwhile operating on high business performance. Unlike most local businesses which damage water, land, and air with their non-compliant practices, RPL has rather set precedent in the opposite direction. Its low carbon footprint, minimal waste generation, and renewable resource consumption have minimal to negligible negative impacts on the local environment.

RPL’s 2023 Sustainability Conference was themed ‘The Circular Economy: Towards a Roshan Pakistan’. Circular economy, a concept by British economist, David Pearce, has evolved and gained huge recognition around the world since its conception in the 1980s. Its ‘cradle to cradle’ model is now acknowledged as the better alternative to the conventional and linear ‘take-make-waste’ model. Linear practices have been a significant contributor to climate change as environmental consideration for doing business is overlooked.

The conference comprised three main panel discussions that were chaired by senior industrial experts, aspiring entrepreneurs, and local government officials. The Chief guests for the event were Mr. S M Tanveer, Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Energy, and Mr. Kashif Anwar, President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce. The attendees included representatives from different companies, media personnel, esteemed educationists, and aspiring students.

The event kicked off with an opening note from the CEO of Roshan Packages, Mr. Tayyab Aijaz Qureshi, he walked the audience through the history and vision of the Roshan group. He also emphasized the need for all stakeholders to synergize efforts for sustainable practices in the economic sector. Mr. S M Tanveer, Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Energy, then addressed the audience. He spoke at length about the severity of climate change’s impact on Pakistan and the need for the country to shift towards sustainability. Mr. Kashif Anwar also addressed the audience and emphasized the importance of bringing the needed change for the national interest.

SM Tanveer at Roshan Packages Limited Conference

The First panel’s discussion centered around the circular economy and the role of multinational companies in Pakistan. This robust panel explored the accomplishments and challenges of global and local circular economic initiatives. The panel strongly agreed that renewable and recyclable resources need to be fully incorporated as packaging materials to address packaging pollution. The panelists included; Mr. Jawwad Imtiaz Ahmed, Sustainability Manager, PepsiCo; Aatekah Mir Khan, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Sustainability Nestle Pakistan; Ms. Amina Khalid, Corporate Affairs Manager McDonalds Pakistan, Murad Akram, Legal Director at Coca-Cola CCI, Hammad Haider, Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs at METRO Pakistan and Babar Nizami, CEO Pakistan Today, Publishing Editor Profit.

The second-panel discussion was themed on innovations in a green economy. This insightful discussion included panelists Mr.Shayan Sohail Sarwar, Chief Operating Officer at PakVitae (Pvt) Lt; Ms. Sana Nauman Chaudry, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, of BreathIO; Mr. Saif Hasan, Director, Lulusar; Mr. Muteeb Siddiqi, CEO at the Vertical; Abid Ameen, Head of Operations and SC Beverages at PepsiCo and Ali Syed, Founder Ouroboros. Some of the key ideas that came up included the high success rate of start-ups leading environmental change, nationally and internally, and the need for prioritizing sustainability to become more resilient to climate change.

The last panel discussion was themed circular economy and women: the opportunities and challenges in Pakistan. Valuable insights surfaced on how the journey of a more equitable economy in Pakistan can become a reality. This discussion included Ms. Sam Ali Dada, Co-founder, of Women Business Network and Former President of Women Chamber Lahore; Ms. Sabahat Bokhari, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Jazz; Ms. Wajeeha Mohsin, HR Director, ServicePath Canada; Ms. Zillay Mariam, Managing Director ISP Environmental Solutions and Rija Tayyab, Marketing Manager Roshan Packages Limited.

Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. It has and will continue to wreak havoc on mass scales. The sensible way forward is to prepare ourselves to withstand the impacts. Gatherings like that of Roshan Packages’ sustainability conference contribute significantly to exploring practical solutions for environmental readiness. As the conference stressed, the key contributor to bringing the needed change is prioritizing sustainability among institutions and consumers alike. Prioritization and adopting sustainable practices like circularity can bring about a resilient Pakistan.

Ethiopian Ambassador Sheds Light on Sustainability

We were thrilled to welcome H.E. Jemal Baker, Ambassador of Ethiopia, to Roshan Packages Limited’s Flexible Plant. During his visit, His Excellency toured the Flexible Plant and expressed his satisfaction with the safety, cleanliness, and modern machinery and met with our top management.

In recognition of the long-lasting friendship between Ethiopia and Pakistan, H.E. Jemal Baker planted a tree at the facility. The planting of the tree is not only a symbol of our commitment to sustainability, but it also reflects Ethiopia’s dedication to building a greener future.

As responsible corporate citizens, we are committed to promoting sustainable business practices and environmental stewardship. We are honored by H.E. Jemal Baker’s gesture and grateful for the opportunity to host him at our plant.

We extend our thanks to H.E. Jemal Baker for his visit, and we look forward to the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Ethiopia and build a brighter future for all.

Ethiopian Ambassador visits Roshan Packages Limited Flexible Plant

Situated in the Somali Peninsula also known as the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is one of the oldest independent countries in the region. It is also the second most populated country in Africa with a population of around 120 million people. It is host to a variety of vibrant cultures and spectacular natural beauty.

Being a developing country coupled with a post-pandemic crisis, Ethiopia is also facing strong challenges like poverty, the need for development, lack of resources, and environmental degradation. However, it is weathering the storm with utmost persistence. With the peace treaty established with TPLF in the year 2022, the country is steadily making progress as a strong nation.

The Circular Economy is an emergent concept coined by Genevieve Reday and Walter Stahel in 1976 in a report by the name of ‘The Potential for Substituting Manpower for Energy” to the European Commission. It was drawn in the shape of loops to interconnect the idea of an economic model that retained materials in the product cycle for as long as possible. This concept has now gained tremendous momentum from around the world, making it a more practical alternative for linear development.

Linear development is a concept that is based on the idea of a take-use-dispose model. This model has been the root cause of the environmental degradation of our planet for decades. Ethiopia like other responsible countries is incorporating the circular economic approach in its economic activities.

It has in particular taken concrete steps to encourage the usage of sustainable packaging in recent years. In 2019, the Ethiopian government banned the usage of single-use plastics- which still is nearly half of the plastic waste generated globally. The ban comprises of the manufacture, import, and supply of single-use plastic products like luggage, straws, and cutlery.

The Private sector is also playing an active and dominant role in promoting sustainable packaging in Ethiopia. Different innovative alternative solutions are being practiced across different companies. For instance, different packaging companies have introduced biodegradable packaging, made from botanical materials. These materials are renewable with minimal to no negative environmental impacts.

Moreover, they are investing in new innovative technologies that are esthetic, contain high value, and promote resource conservation. One such technology is 3D printing. 3D printing is largely custom-made, by default designed to make packaging as per need, therefore, helping with resource conservation and waste minimization.

The general consumer trend in Ethiopia is also significantly inclined toward using sustainable practices. For instance, jute bags are a common sight there for shopping and general carrying of goods. Also, proper systems are in place to reuse materials like glass bottles. They are collected and made available for consumption in an organized way, which is a perfect example of how Ethiopian consumers and producers have incorporated product circularity into their daily lives.

The demand for green products and packaging has also increased over the years, acting as an external pressure for businesses to incorporate sustainable practices in manufacturing and operations. Balda, A., & Singh, R. In their study ‘Driving Forces towards the Adoption of Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices: Empirical Evidence from Manufacturing Industries in Ethiopia’ highlighted that higher consumer demand for greener products is acting as a significant driver for companies in Ethiopia to adopt sustainable supply chain practices.

Ethiopia holds immense potential to immerge as a successful circular economy model. With an existing consumer and investor demand for greener products and increased investment in green practices, Ethiopia is set to become an example that other countries can follow for implementing sustainable development goals in their regions.

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