Global Human Rights Day, observed on December 10, honors the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. This important document sets out basic rights and freedoms for everyone and stands as a foundation for fairness, equality, and respect for human dignity around the world. Global Human Rights Day highlights the collective responsibility to protect and promote these rights.
Huhtamaki’s commitment to respect human rights is part of our culture and serves as a foundation of how we conduct business.
This commitment is also evident in our sustainability agenda. We believe that respect for people and the environment go hand-in-hand. This year, we completed a project with WasteAid where we focused on supporting informal waste workers – or “Wastepreneurs”.
What’s a Wastepreneur?
In South Africa alone, more than 50 million tons of general waste is generated a year with only a third being recycled and the remainder being disposed of in landfill sites, dumpsites or burned.
The informal waste sector plays a vital role in recovery and sale of recyclable material, including packaging waste. An estimated 90% of all recycled waste in South Africa is gathered and sold by waste pickers.
Yet, waste pickers face significant challenges including unfair business practices, stigmatisation, poverty, and lack of access to education and resources to help them elevate their position. This potentially leaves them vulnerable and marginalised.
About the program: Wastepreneur Challenge
WasteAid is an international nonprofit dedicated to addressing the global waste crisis. Through education, training, and support, WasteAid works with informal waste collectors to improve their businesses so they can make more money – be it through increasing volume, providing improved services to their customers, or other areas. Starting with a €900,000 partnership launched in 2020, Huhtamaki and WasteAid have collaborated to foster community-level circular economy innovation in South Africa, Vietnam, and India. This initiative aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, driving local solutions to reduce waste, pollution, and economic inequities.
In 2024, Huhtamaki and WasteAid concluded the Wastepreneur Challenge Programme, a two-year initiative aimed at equipping waste pickers with the skills and resources needed to improve their livelihoods and environmental impact.
Four groups of informal waste collectors participated in a 12-week training program, follow-up mentorship, and the opportunity for seed funding, 89 waste entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds received business and life skills training, gaining knowledge and tools to scale their operations.
WasteAid brought the curriculum to four training cohorts. Each cohort was offered the opportunity to participate in a pitch event where participants presented their ideas and plans to bring their waste collection businesses to the next level. By equipping Wastepreneurs with tools to expand their initiatives – like fencing, waste bins, balers, or a set of scales - the challenge demonstrated the potential for social and environmental impact.
Following their participation, Wastepreneur participants recovered more than 100,000 kilograms of recycled materials: 15,510 kilograms of mixed paper and card, 18,942 kilograms of mixed glass, 19,174 kilograms of household metal packaging, 4,500 kilograms of electrical parts, and 69,510 kilograms of a range of plastics. The 69,510 kilograms of plastic alone is equivalent to almost 10 football fields of plastic waste that would otherwise have been dumped or burned.
Through these efforts, most participants were able to boost and stabilize their income, benefiting both themselves and their families. Participants saw increases in their collecting volumes by up to 400%, and income increases by 33% to 50% per month.
Their contributions are also changing the way people view–and value– their work.
“One year ago my dad was saying, ‘What are you doing?’", said participant Mxolisi Ncukana, a member of the One Dream Africa collective which has increased their collecting volumes by 400% through the training, investment and mentorship program.
“But he has seen the growth and is now proud.”
Huhtamaki’s sustainability commitment
Huhtamaki’s involvement in projects like the Wastepreneur Challenge Program with WasteAid reflects the company’s broader sustainability goals outlined in our Annual Report. This includes a commitment to fostering circular economy solutions, supporting local communities, and reducing environmental footprints.
“We at Huhtamaki believe that waste is a valuable secondary material,” said Shane Van der Nest, General Manager of Huhtamaki South Africa. “It is very important to support and encourage young Wastepreneurs by showing them the limitless possibilities that the circular economy can offer. In our view, collaboration can make a real difference and that’s why we are delighted with our partnership with WasteAid.”
Read more about our values, ambition and strategy here.