Continuing our World Environment Day conversation day series with leaders. We spoke with Temitayo Adegoke our Chief Legal Counsel and Company Secretary. She recommends that Single use of plastics should be discouraged and as individuals, we should reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible to achieve zero waste.
Wait there is more, In this interview, she answers questions on the role Sterling can play in solving this issue and ways to instill a culture of environmental consciousness among Sterling’s employees. Dive in!
Questions to Answers on World Environment Day:
- What are your personal beliefs and practices when it comes to managing plastic waste, and how do these beliefs influence your lifestyle and decision?
Single-use of plastics should be discouraged. Reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as you can. I am very intentional about not generating waste; ‘waste not want not’ is my guiding principle.
- Could you share an example of how you stay environmentally conscious in your day-to-day life? How do you bring this mindset into your work?
I promote the paperless drive culture within and outside the office, I rarely buy meals in plastics, prefer to use recyclable material when it comes to my meals, I recycle carrier/shopping bags. I simply try not to waste it.
- How do you perceive the challenge of plastic pollution, and what role do you think Sterling can play in this global issue?
I think the challenge is real but not insurmountable – when we become intentional about things that we can do, we would begin to witness changes. Sterling should be an advocate, a partner, and a financier in managing this global issue.
a. For Sterling, we should start with our staff – we can improve on the practices among staff – we should create more awareness on waste disposal options (to illustrate, most people are not aware of the different bins we have for waste disposal – a good initiative which has not been fully embraced), education on the hazards of plastic pollution, and plastic recycling, etc. For plastic recycling, we could as an institution develop our collection facility and partner with recycling companies to collect and recycle and create awareness about this. Staff could be encouraged and incentivized (not necessarily cash) to bring their used plastics to the collection point. My view is that several persons in the Bank would be happy to deposit their used plastics in a central convenient spot.
b. Outside Sterling Bank, Sterling could be an advocate for the reduction of plastic pollution, enlighten communities all over on the environmental hazards of plastic pollution – to the extent possible partner and finance companies that produce reusable material for food and drinks, as part of CSR, management team could take the campaigns to schools (Private and public), donate more sustainable materials and bins, enable partnerships that can deal the logistics of waste collection, sorting and recycling in schools and communities.
- What do you think are some effective ways to instill a culture of environmental consciousness among Sterling’s employees, particularly regarding the reduction, reuse, and recycling of plastic materials?
Please see my response to question 3, particularly 3(a)
