As India intensifies its shift towards a circular economy, companies at the intersection of innovation and responsibility are leading the charge. One such example is REHAU India, the German-origin polymer solutions giant known not just for its high-performance furniture and building products, but also for its strong commitment to sustainability.
In this insightful interview with TheCSRUniverse, Mr. Tushar Verma, Executive Vice President at REHAU India, takes us inside the company’s sustainability vision — from green manufacturing and circular design to factory-led CSR and impactful city-wide clean-up campaigns. He shares how REHAU is moving beyond compliance to embed environmental responsibility at every stage: whether it’s through their laser edgeband technology, closed-loop water recycling at their Vadodara plant, or community engagement under the Waste-to-Worth campaign. The conversation also explores how REHAU aligns with national missions like Swachh Bharat and Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and its proactive approach to evolving plastic waste management policies.
This conversation offers a compelling look at how polymer giants like REHAU are proving that sustainability and industrial innovation can go hand in hand — and that real change often begins right on the factory floor.
Q&A
Q. REHAU has built a strong reputation for innovation in polymer-based solutions. How do you integrate sustainability principles across your product lifecycle from design & material selection to manufacturing and disposal?
A. Sustainability at REHAU is not an afterthought. Rather, it is embedded right at the design and development stage. We evaluate every material that goes into our products using detailed MSDS reviews and multi-layered approvals backed by five decades of global polymer expertise. In India, our edgebands have been RoHS compliant from day one, ensuring that they are free from harmful substances like Lead and Phthalates (DOP-free). We are also actively transitioning from traditional PVC-based materials to greener alternatives like ABS & PP, with the technology already implemented and key customers aligned on this shift. One significant step forward is our laser edgeband technology, which enables seamless joins and reduces the need for adhesives. This not only improves aesthetics but also reduces material use, energy consumption, and overall processing steps: delivering both environmental and operational benefits. Our emphasis extends to packaging too, where we use responsibly sourced, functionally sound materials to strike the right balance between usability and environmental impact.
Q. With India accelerating its transition towards a circular economy, what role do you see polymer companies like REHAU playing in reducing industrial waste and promoting green manufacturing practices?
A. As one of India’s largest polymer manufacturers with our flagship plant in Vadodara, our responsibility is clear. We’ve adopted a two-pronged approach: one, reducing waste generation at the source and two, maximising reuse wherever possible – thus striving to be a zero-discharge plant. Over the years, our reuse rate has consistently stayed above 90%, and we are actively testing new processes to reach 100%. To further enhance green manufacturing, we’ve deployed smart energy monitoring (EMS software) across the plant to track energy use in real time and identify opportunities for optimisation. We’re also investing in our own solar power plant to meet part of our energy demand through renewables. Our team is trained to treat water, material, and energy as precious resources, reinforcing sustainability as a daily operational priority.
Q. The Waste-to-Worth campaign has generated significant impact in cities like Delhi NCR, Pune, and Bangalore. Could you share the campaign’s core objectives and some tangible outcomes you've observed so far?
A. The REHAU Return program was created to serve as both a clean-up initiative and an awareness campaign to highlight the importance of circular thinking. Conducted across five cities including Delhi NCR, Pune, and Bangalore, the campaign focused on transforming public spaces while educating communities about waste segregation and plastic pollution. During the week-long drive, our volunteers: comprising REHAU employees, local citizens, and environmental enthusiasts successfully collected and cleared 1,500 kilograms of waste. This material was then responsibly processed and recycled, ensuring that we returned value to the ecosystem. The campaign became a visible symbol of our commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting community participation in sustainable living.
Q. What strategies or community engagement models were most effective in mobilizing local participation during the clean-up drives? Any memorable success stories?
A. Our community engagement model has always focused on inclusion, education, and shared responsibility. The Waste-to-Worth drive under the REHAU Return initiative was successful precisely because it brought together a diverse group from REHAU employees and school children to local residents and civic volunteers with a shared goal of restoring pride in public spaces. During the week-long campaign held across key cities like Delhi NCR, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, volunteers collected over 1,500 kilograms of waste, which is now being responsibly recycled. This tangible impact helped people connect their actions to a visible outcome – not only cleaner streets, but a sense of ownership and community. One of the key reasons for the success was the active involvement of our teams across departments: not as an obligation, but as a passionate devotion towards change. When people see their own colleagues, neighbours, or even school students participating side by side, the momentum becomes real, and the ripple effect is more likely to last.
Q. How does REHAU ensure continuity and long-term behavioural change in the communities it engages through such initiatives?
A. We believe long-term change begins internally. Sustainability is a core part of our employee onboarding and ongoing training programs, especially at our manufacturing units. These campaigns are not one-off events but built into our annual CSR framework under the global REHAU Return initiative. At a community level, we engage children, municipal workers, and local leaders – planting seeds of awareness and behavioural shifts. Through combining direct action with education, and showcasing visible results, we reinforce the belief that everyday actions like using fewer plastic bags or segregating waste can create meaningful change. Our goal is to inspire sustainable habits that outlast the campaigns themselves.
Q. At your Vadodara facility, REHAU recycles over 4 million litres of water annually. Could you elaborate on the systems and technologies behind this initiative and its scalability across your operations?
A. At Vadodara, we have implemented a closed-loop water management system. A dedicated Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) recycles water for gardening and non-potable uses. We’ve introduced automated monitoring systems to track usage and detect anomalies in real time. This ensures efficient utilisation and eliminates wastage. Additionally, we’ve launched a new project aimed at reducing process water consumption by at least 20%. Through plugging potential contamination points through smart automation, we’re moving toward a closed water circuit. Having successfully piloted this model, we are now scaling it plant-wide and exploring adaptations for future REHAU facilities in India.
Q. In your view, what does it mean for CSR to begin “at the factory floor”? How are REHAU’s employees and operations empowered to drive CSR from within?
A. We’ve always believed that CSR begins at home, and for us, that’s our factory floor. Every REHAU employee receives training on sustainability, not merely as a value but as a measurable KPI. For shopfloor teams, metrics like material optimisation, energy savings, and waste reduction directly impact their performance assessments. Through our Employee Suggestion Scheme, team members are empowered to share ideas that reduce environmental impact. These suggestions are actively reviewed, implemented, and rewarded. This bottom-up model instills ownership and ensures that CSR isn't confined to a department, but a way of working embedded across every process and every person.
Q. How does REHAU align its CSR programs with national missions such as Swachh Bharat, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, or the UN SDGs?
A. REHAU’s CSR initiatives are deeply aligned with India's flagship missions like Swachh Bharat and Jal Shakti. Our clean-up drives directly contribute to the Swachh Bharat vision by improving public sanitation and cleanliness. At the same time, our water conservation efforts in Vadodara support the goals of Jal Shakti by reducing fresh water usage through recycling and reuse. Furthermore, our broader ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) focus aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals — including Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12), Clean Water & Sanitation (SDG 6), and Climate Action (SDG 13). Through our operations, products, and outreach, we aim to contribute meaningfully to these global priorities.
Q. Can you highlight any impactful collaborations with NGOs, local municipalities, or technology partners that have helped scale or strengthen REHAU’s sustainability and CSR initiatives? What made these partnerships successful?
A. We’ve had successful collaborations with schools, municipal bodies, and local communities as part of our clean-up drives and green initiatives. On World Environment Day, our team partnered with a government primary school in Vadodara to plant trees and hold sustainability workshops for children. One key takeaway from these partnerships is that alignment of intent and simplicity in execution lead to lasting impact. Whether it’s distributing reusable cloth bags to reduce single-use plastic or mobilising communities through art and education — the strength of these partnerships lies in shared ownership and clear communication.
Q. In light of recent policy developments around plastic waste management, such as the CBIC directive linking EPR registration with customs clearance for plastic importers — how does REHAU view the implications of such measures on import planning, compliance processes, and the broader push toward circularity in the polymer industry?
A. REHAU welcomes the regulatory focus on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a step in the right direction. These measures push the industry to be more accountable, transparent, and forward-thinking. We’ve already built robust internal systems to track material usage and ensure full compliance with EPR regulations. Such policies also encourage innovation, for example, our ongoing shift to ISCC PLUS certified and recycled content-based materials is a direct reflection of our emphasis on circularity. Through aligning ourselves early with these developments, we’re not only future-proofing our compliance, but also driving a more sustainable industry standard across the board.
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