Earlier this month, Rubicon® announced the launch of our company’s first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report. If you have yet to download the report I encourage you to do so now to read more about what Rubicon is doing to transform the entire category of waste and recycling.
The circular economy isn’t just about better management of materials; a circular economy has the potential to improve the lives of billions of people by reducing environmental damage
and waste.
Rubicon is committed to sustainable economic growth. We view the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a good blueprint for doing that. While we find inspiration in all 17 goals, three stand out as particularly pertinent to our work, as they track closely with Rubicon’s mission to end waste, in all of its forms.
Let’s look at each of these goals, and how they interact with Rubicon’s mission, in greater detail.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
In SDG 9 it is noted that “Technological progress is the foundation of efforts to achieve environmental objectives, such as increased resource and energy efficiency.”
At Rubicon, we have developed technology that allows business and city customers alike to divert more waste from landfills and put circular principles into practice. SDG 9 emphasizes increased investment in high-tech products of this nature. Furthermore, we support the United Nations assertion that technology forms the basis of efforts to reach environmental objectives.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
In SDG 11 it is noted that “There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.”
SDG 11 is compatible with our vision involving the promotion of sustainable cities and communities. As the United Nations note, the pace of urbanization is creating significant challenges in areas such as the removal and management of solid waste. Our work in helping municipalities manage their waste collection has helped local governments move closer to the United Nations goal of reducing the per capita environmental impact of cities by 2030.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
In SDG 12 it is noted that “Since sustainable consumption and production aims at ‘doing more and better with less,’ net welfare gains from economic activities can increase by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution along the whole life cycle, while increasing quality of life.”
Rubicon’s core activities are also closely linked to the United Nations goal of substantially reducing waste generation, or SDG 12. Our work with haulers and businesses on efforts such as food composting demonstrates we are doing what is necessary to minimize the impact of waste on human health and the environment.
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For more on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), my colleague Michael Allegretti has written previously on the importance of public/private partnerships in driving sustainable communities from the point of view of the above-mentioned goals.
If you have any questions, or you’re interested in speaking with Rubicon about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or anything else, you can reach out to my team directly at sustainability@rubicon.com, or contact our sales team at (844) 479-1507.
David Rachelson is Chief Sustainability Officer at Rubicon. To stay ahead of Rubicon’s announcements of new partnerships and collaborations around the world, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, or contact us today.
