Aster Volunteers In UAE Lead By Example, Recycling Over 400kg Of E-Waste

Aster Volunteers UAE, the global CSR arm of Aster DM Healthcare, recently held its 3rd E-Waste Collection Drive under the Aster Green Choices initiative. This drive underscores Aster DM Healthcare's dedication to environmental sustainability. Collection boxes were placed in six regions across the UAE, resulting in the recycling of 434 kgs of e-waste in collaboration with E-Scrappy. Over three editions, the initiative has recycled a total of 1,248 kgs of e-waste.

The drive received support from several medical centres including Aster Jubilee Medical Centre – Bur Dubai, Aster Hospital Mankhool – Al Raffa Dubai, and Medcare Orthopedic & Spine Hospital – Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. It aimed to educate the public on proper e-waste disposal and its environmental impact, promoting sustainable practices throughout the UAE.

Environmental Impact and Community Involvement

Asterians from various units played a key role by collecting e-waste from nearby shops and bringing electronic waste from their homes to designated collection boxes. The collected e-waste was responsibly recycled by E-scrappy, which issued a Green Certificate to Aster Volunteers UAE, highlighting their commitment to environmental management.

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, commented on the initiative: "At Aster, our dedication to environmental sustainability is deeply embedded in our corporate culture and driven by our ESG framework. Integrating 10 UN SDGs out of 17 UN SDGs into our core operations has yielded significant impact over the years. The E-Waste Collection Drive is a testament to our ongoing efforts to promote proper e-waste disposal and recycling. By educating the community and encouraging sustainable practices, we are taking significant steps towards reducing the environmental impact of electronic waste."

Over recent years, this initiative has successfully recycled 496 kgs of e-waste in 2020, 318 kgs in 2023, and now 434 kgs in 2024. The drive not only highlights proper e-waste disposal but also educates the public on its environmental impact.

Broader Sustainability Strategy

The E-Waste Collection Drive is part of Aster DM Healthcare's broader strategy for environmental sustainability. Plans include extending such initiatives to other countries like Qatar, KSA, Oman, and India. The company's long-term goals focus on mitigating toxins leached from buried metals through proper disposal and recycling of e-waste.

In FY'23 alone, Aster DM Healthcare achieved a reduction of 6,824 tCO2e in net greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro energy despite significant operational expansion. The company also excelled in waste management by recycling substantial amounts of plastic waste (76,555 kg), paper waste (446,977 kg), and e-waste (5,506 kg).

Aster Volunteers has grown into a global movement with over 76,900 volunteers impacting more than 5 million lives. Recognized for its ESG efforts with a 'Strong' rating from CRISIL and holding the highest ESG ranking among listed healthcare companies in India.

Awards and Recognition

Aster DM Healthcare has received three prestigious awards from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Arabia CSR Awards for its sustainability efforts. Recognized with the 'Advanced CSR Label for 2022' by the Dubai Chamber for excelling in Workplace, Marketplace, Community, and Environment impact areas for four consecutive years.

The organization integrates ten UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into its ESG policies through initiatives like Aster Volunteers. At COP27, Aster signed the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement and was listed among Corporate Knights' Global 100 sustainable companies for 2022.

Looking ahead, Aster DM Healthcare aims to continue its commitment to environmental sustainability by organizing more e-waste collection drives and other green initiatives. The organization's long-term goals include reducing carbon emissions further while increasing renewable energy use across all operations.