Nestlé India marks five years of Project Hilldaari; over 28,000 MT of waste diverted through the project

New Delhi, December 19, 2023: Nestlé India celebrated the fifth anniversary of Project Hilldaari, an initiative in collaboration with PLAN Foundation, Stree Mukti Sangathana, and technical partner Recity India Pvt Ltd. Operational in tourist cities like Ponda, Mussoorie, Mahabaleshwar, Munnar, Dalhousie, Darjeeling, and Palampur, the project has successfully diverted more than 28,000 metric tons of waste from landfills through source segregation. 

Across its current locations, Project Hilldaari achieved an 80% source segregation rate at over 20,000 residential and commercial waste collection points. Emphasizing the belief that every member of society can contribute to positive change, the initiative adopts a multi-collaborative approach involving municipal councils, citizens, contractors, waste workers, and influencers.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India said, "Five years ago we embarked upon an important journey with Project Hilldaari by bringing about positive change through collective action and adopting sustainable waste management models. Through a multi-stakeholder approach, we are successfully implementing this project across 7 tourist destinations and the project has grown from strength to strength. I would like to congratulate all our partners, for making our vision a reality.”

Ms. Jyoti Mhapsekar, President, Stree Mukti Sanghatana said, “The last five years of Project Hilldaari have been extremely fulfilling for the team, where we conducted some meaningful work such as professionalization of the waste workers community. We take pride in the way we have been able to raise awareness across stakeholders. We would continue to collaborate and positively impact the ecosystem in these cities.”

Ms. Meha Lahiri Co-founder, COO and CFO, Recity Network India said, “Recity Network India has been working towards giving rise to a circular economy of plastics and Hilldaari has been one of the shining examples of projects aiding this cause. We are extremely happy with the progress we have made with Project Hilldaari and would continue to put continued efforts to take this cause further.”

Project Hilldaari is progressively working to professionalize waste workers in source segregation, with over 560 workers trained through behavior change interventions. The project provides them with occupational IDs, health insurance, protective gear, and other benefits, fostering a sense of solidarity and collective responsibility among citizens.