Agreement includes launch of The Great Battery Challenge, a battery recycling program set to launch across 100 schools and 50 retail outlets in UAE.
Sharjah, UAE, May 8, 2018: In an effort to drive environmental sustainability in the UAE, Duracell has signed a partnership agreement with Bee’ah, the UAE’s leading integrated environmental and waste management company.
During the first phase of the partnership agreement, over 100 schools and 50 retail outlets across Dubai and Sharjah are set to participate in The Great Battery Challenge. Aligning with the UAE government’s Vision 2021 for a sustainable future, the unique competition educational program aims to champion battery recycling, sustainable practices, and energy saving to protect the UAE’s environment.
A recent report by AC Nielsen estimated that there are millions of batteries purchased in the UAE each year. The vast majority of these batteries are disposed of, without recycling, and end up in landfills. Bee’ah’s partnership with Duracell, one of the biggest investors in sustainability programs in the battery industry globally, will ensure that programs which bring alternative battery solutions are initiated in the UAE.
Commenting on the partnership, Amer Afifi, General Manager – Duracell Middle East & India, said: “Recycling batteries is one of the latest additions to the recycling landscape and we are happy to build awareness on its benefits to the UAE. Reducing the impact on the environment starts with choosing the right technology. We at Duracell are committed to fostering environmental sustainability, for example, one Duracell superior alkaline battery can be up to 10 times more efficient than zinc/carbon batteries in high drain devices. Duracell’s unique Powercheck on Ultra Power batteries allows consumers to instantly verify the battery’s power level and use their batteries to the fullest, thus preventing unnecessary waste. Through our partnership with Bee’ah, we are actively looking to drive residential awareness around the importance of battery recycling and our collaboration will see the roll-out of a number of initiatives spanning across both the education and public space.”
The Great Battery Challenge – set to launch in October 2018 – is an interschool recycling competition designed to help young students, and their parents, to better understand how their battery purchases should be connected to acting environmentally sustainable. Bee’ah’s environmental education program, the Bee’ah School of Environment, seeks to encourage positive environmental behavior through 2 annual competitions, the Environmental Excellence School Award (EESA) and the Inter School Recycling Competition (ISRC). The EESA encourages creative expression and problem-solving skills in students, towards the resolution of key environmental issues. The ISRC enables participating schools to compete against each other to collect the most paper, plastic, and aluminum materials.
This year’s edition of both competitions will culminate in an awards ceremony, which will be held on Sunday, 13th of May, 2018. Based on their submissions under the theme, ‘Preservation of Natural Resources’, students from 311 schools, across the UAE, will vie for 14 coveted prizes, under the 5 categories of the EESA.
Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah, said: “Bee’ah has made an enduring commitment towards encouraging sustainability, and we have utilized community engagement platforms to great effect in this endeavor. Our educational programs have played an instrumental role in incentivizing recycling and encouraging environmental advocacy in students. We are delighted to form this partnership with Duracell, a company that has effectively demonstrated its commitment to sustainability. Through our mutual efforts, we will be able to create awareness, and a culture of recycling that includes discarded batteries. This partnership will have a tangible impact on the nation’s pursuit of a green economy, and will lay the foundation for future collaborations in the proper management of disposed batteries.”
“It is our duty as responsible, corporate entities to implement sustainable programs in everything we do and help protect our planet for future generations. Our new long-term partnership with Bee’ah will champion battery recycling efforts in the UAE.” Added Mr. Afifi.
Since its inception, Bee’ah has pushed the boundaries of environmental innovation and crossed remarkable milestones through its leading sustainability strategies and practices, especially in the field of education with over 200,000 students and 5000 teachers participating in Bee’ah’s programs to-date.
To find out more about both organizations’ sustainability initiatives, please visit: www.duracell-me.com and www.beeah.ae.
