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Under the auspices of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, PepsiCo, has announced the launch of Live On, its newly created sustainability platform for the UAE, and the Middle East and North Africa region, MENA.
The sustainability platform was launched at the Youth Hub in Emirates Towers in Dubai, with a unique Youth Circle event that was attended by Dr. Thani and PepsiCo’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Simon Lowden, to have an open discussion on how to support the UAE and the Middle East to reduce the impact of plastic waste on the environment.
The Youth Circle initiative was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to ignite dialogue among the nation’s community of youth to shape innovative solutions for global challenges.
At the event, Lowden explained how the Live On platform allows the company to actively address its priorities for sustainable plastic use. The platform will focus on four key pillars: building consumer education, government collaboration, investing in recycling infrastructure and access, and reducing the overall impact of plastic waste.
"Plastics today are the reality of our lives at home and industry. While they cannot be completely eliminated, their indiscriminate use can certainly be controlled. The UAE strongly believes that managing plastic waste and steering the transition to a circular economy is everyone’s responsibility. In line with this priority, we have rolled out several nation-wide public-private partnerships," said Al Zeyoudi.
Also participating in the ceremony, Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Chairwoman of the Federal Youth Authority, said, "As talents of today and leaders of tomorrow, youth are the most important ingredient to the circular economy equation, and must play an essential role in working towards it. The launch of the Live On sustainability platform comes in line with the UAE’s commitment to promote innovations in the circular economy, and gives the youth the opportunity to re-design the way our economy works."
The first act of the platform will be the launch of a new consumer awareness campaign in the UAE to encourage the population to recycle plastic. Further campaigns will run in 2020 with key partners in the region.
Lowden added, "Today’s launch is a proud moment for PepsiCo and another milestone in our alignment with the long-term vision of the UAE and the priorities of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. We are proud of the endorsement of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment for our new platform, and it is a testament to our commitment to the region that we are able to collaborate with key regional partners, such as the UAE government, to support its strategic goals, such as developing a sustainable circular economy."
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