Aster Volunteers UAE, the global CSR arm of Aster DM Healthcare, recently organized an impactful 3rd E-Waste Collection Drive as a part of the Aster Green Choices initiative, reinforcing Aster DM Healthcare’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. Collection boxes were strategically placed across six regions in the UAE, resulting in the recycling of 434 kgs of e-waste in collaboration with E-Scrappy. To date, the initiative has cumulatively recycled 1,248 kgs of e-waste over the three editions.
The drive was supported by Aster Jubilee Medical Centre – Bur Dubai, Aster Hospital Mankhool – Al Raffa Dubai, Aster Hospital Al Qusais – Dubai, Aster Hospital – Sharjah, Medcare Orthopedic & Spine Hospital – Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, and Medcare Hospital Al Safa – Dubai. The drive not only highlighted the importance of proper e-waste disposal but also educated the public on the environmental impact of electronic waste, encouraging more sustainable practices across the UAE.
Over the years, the initiative has successfully recycled 496 kgs of e-waste in 2020, 318 kgs in 2023, and now 434 kgs in 2024. Asterians from various units played a crucial 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, who issued a Green Certificate to Aster Volunteers UAE, underscoring their commitment to environmental management.
Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare, commented on the initiative, stating, “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. This initiative, along with other green choices such as indoor plant distribution, seed distribution, tree plantations, and clean-up drives, highlights our commitment to creating a greener, healthier future.”
The E-Waste Collection Drive is part of Aster DM Healthcare’s broader environmental sustainability strategy, which includes plans to extend such initiatives to other countries like Qatar, KSA, Oman, and India. The company’s long-term goals focus on mitigating the environmental impact of toxins leached from buried metals, ensuring the proper disposal and recycling of e-waste.
Over the last few years, Aster Volunteers has emerged into a global movement driven by over 76,900 volunteers who have impacted over 5 million lives. In FY’23, Aster DM Healthcare achieved a significant reduction of 6,824 tCO2e in net greenhouse gas emissions through the integration of renewable energy sources, including 3,679,200 KWh of solar energy, 2,300,000 KWh of wind energy, and 3,569,298 KWh of hydro energy, despite significant operational expansion. The company also excelled in waste management, recycling 423,806 kilograms of waste, including 76,555 kilograms of plastic waste, 446,977 kilograms of paper waste, and 5,506 kilograms of e-waste. Recognized for its ESG efforts, Aster holds the highest ESG ranking among listed healthcare companies in India and has earned a ‘Strong’ rating from CRISIL. The organization prioritizes waste segregation at the source, enabling efficient recycling of biomedical, plastic, food, metals, paper, and cardboard waste. Aster’s Annual ESG Report for FY’22-23 highlighted a reduction of 85,515 KL in water consumption across nine hospitals, sourcing 17% of water from recycled and rainwater. Social initiatives under Aster Volunteers have significantly contributed to community health, disaster aid, and social empowerment programs.
Aster DM Healthcare, one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the GCC, has received three prestigious awards from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Arabia CSR Awards for its sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and community initiatives. Recognized with the ‘Advanced CSR Label for 2022’ by the Dubai Chamber, Aster has excelled in Workplace, Marketplace, Community, and Environment impact areas for four consecutive years. The company integrates 10 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into its ESG policies through initiatives like Aster Volunteers, impacting communities globally. Aster also signed the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement at COP27 and was the only Middle Eastern and Indian company listed among Corporate Knights’ Global 100 sustainable companies for 2022, showcasing its commitment to building sustainable organizations.
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, increasing the use of renewable energy, and promoting sustainable practices across all its operations.
