itel’s “No Plastic is Fantastic” Initiative Protects the Environment and Eliminates Over 160,000 Disposable Water Bottles
(Montego Bay, Jamaica, March 22, 2023) In 2018, itel, an award-winning international customer experience provider with facilities in 7 countries, launched its "No Plastic is Fantastic" campaign with the aim of reducing single use plastics across all its sites. Phase I involved supplying reusable aluminum water bottles to its workforce combined with the installation of water coolers for its staff and clients across 15 international facilities, resulting in the elimination of 161,899 disposable water bottles since the launch of the initiative. This equals over 4 tons of waste that has been kept out of the environment.
The company will continue to discourage the use of single use plastics, with the goal of eventually eliminating all sources, not just water bottles. "Our goal is to cause a ripple effect, where employees continue their plastic-free habits at home and in their communities," explained Yoni Epstein, itel's Founding Chairman and CEO. "With our headquarters being in the Caribbean, we see firsthand the environmental damage caused along our coastlines and mangroves. Since we launched the initiative, we have noticed a large decrease in the amount of plastic waste and debris accumulating around our facilities, which are often located near beaches and rivers."
The success of its "No Plastic is Fantastic" campaign led itel to further expand its philanthropic efforts by launching its 4Ys Foundation in 2019, a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) private foundation entirely funded by the company. Corporate partners are invited to take part in various programs or to make donations, while employees are encouraged to volunteer in company-led activities, which increases employee engagement and satisfaction, while elevating the communities in which the company serves.
To date, the company has not only eliminated 4 tons of plastic bottles that could have potentially ended up in local rivers and waterways, but, through employee volunteer hours, has cleaned up over 2,000 yards of beachfront removing plastic waste and other debris from local beaches and public spaces.
itel's impact has been felt far and wide as the company has dedicated over 1,500 employee charity hours and impacted over 10 schools and children's homes, touching the lives of 1,600 youths. Its 4Ys Foundation has donated over US$1Million to educational, innovation, environmental & sports initiatives, as well as to various other charitable programs and organizations. The next phase seeks to engage itel's partner and client network to widen the Foundation's impact and ignite team enthusiasm for giving back, with the goal of raising donations by the end of 2023.
For more information on itel's 4Ys Foundation, click here.
