South African recycling business Kudoti is one of the five winners of the global Nestlé 2021 Creating Shared Value (CSV) Prize, winning a cash prize of $40 000 (about R568 000).
In a statement, Nestlé says the winning teams were selected for their innovative recycling impact through technology.
The food and beverage company has been running the CSV Prize for over 10 years, to identify multiple initiatives for some of today's most critical environmental and social issues around the world.
This year’s competition, conducted in partnership with non-profit organisation Ashoka, was entitled: How do we create a waste-free future?
It identifies and awards innovative solutions with a system-change approach and a strong growth potential, or a replicable model for other social, cultural or geographical settings.
Selected winner Kudoti, which is Zulu for ‘in the trash’, provides a digital platform to help waste management and recycling companies optimise their operations through the use of data collection tools.
The cloud-based platform digitises and automates waste management operations from start to finish through SMS interactions and Web-based interfaces.
Matthieu de Gaudemar, one of the founders of Kudoti, says: “Businesses and individuals have a concept of waste as waste, when we should have a concept of waste as a resource. With new business models, we can change the way that waste is viewed.”
De Gaudemar adds the platform's success is a collective team effort. “It truly takes everyone to address systemic environmental issues. Through this financial investment and technical resources, we will amplify our impact by scaling up our solution in South Africa.”
“When people speak of the future, a world of hover-crafts or holograms may come to mind. But at Nestlé, we are seeking a more environmentally futuristic landscape. Through these awards, we are on a mission to identify and empower market disruptors in the hope of accelerating a waste-free future,” says Saint-Francis Tohlang, corporate communications and public affairs director at Nestlé East and Southern Africa region.
In addition to the cash prize, Kudoti will receive Ashoka's online resources and workshops to explore potential collaboration with Nestlé and a mentoring programme.
“Innovations such as Kudoti not only help reduce waste but also drive consumer behaviour change, which is key to achieving a waste-free future and takes us closer to a circular economy,” concludes Tohlang.
Share