Dow has helped established the first-of-its-kind shoe recycling ecosystem in Singapore. Could you introduce the idea?

For a small population of only 5.5 million people, a whopping 22 million pairs of shoes are sold every year. The majority of these end up incinerated as waste. In July 2021, together with like-minded partners including Sport Singapore, B.T. Sports, Alba W&H, Decathlon and Standard Chartered Bank, we established a permanent shoe recycling ecosystem in the country. As at April 2022, more than 169,000 pairs (or the equivalent of 47 metric tons of used shoes) have been collected. Diverted from the landfill and recycled, this converts to 7.5 km of running track. I am confident this project can be replicated elsewhere in the world, especially with greater cost effectiveness.

Could you break down the value chain of the shoe recycling ecosystem?

This ecosystem is large and involves multiple stakeholders along the value chain. We started with accessible collection points for the general public to drop off their used shoes. From the beginning, we introduced a dedicated bin to collect these shoes. More than 200 orange shoe recycling bins can now be found all over the country, and the number is likely to grow. Next in the value chain is transportation, and we were fortunate to partner Alba W&H. They collect both shoe waste and e-waste around the island – a synergy that contributes immensely to the project’s economics. We also found a local partner, B.T. Sports, to grind the old shoes down into ready-made recycling material, thereby reducing offshore emissions. Before sending the granules to owner-operators like our partner Sport Singapore, we encourage the use of environmentally-friendlier water-based or solvent-free binder technologies in the formulation. The broader value chain also involves architects, designers, construction companies, property developers, and others.

Could you highlight the most recent achievements of Dow Singapore?

Together with our partner, B.T. Sports, Dow has developed APAC’s first fully permeable tennis court, a project that has won us the highest environmental certification from the Singapore Green Building Council and the accreditation of the ITF (International Tennis Federation). This technology allows rain to drain right away through the court so that the game can begin almost immediately after rain.

Dow Singapore has also won three awards for our all-polyethylene stand-up pouch, developed in Singapore. The project won the Singapore Packaging Award by the country’s Packaging Council, as well as the Asia Star Award by the Asian Packaging Federation, and the World Star Award by the World Packaging Organization.

Dow has implemented over 100 circular economy projects worldwide. How is your circular economy portfolio evolving in APAC?

We recently announced our first post-consumer recycled resins in APAC; these products contain 40-70% recycled content, providing sustainable and efficient packaging alternatives for various applications. Dow has also collaborated and developed sustainable stretch cling film from renewable feedstock with Thong Guan in Malaysia, one of the world’s leading stretch film producers.

What is Dow’s approach to talent acquisition and talent retention?

Dow has been working closely and empowering undergraduates and students from universities and polytechnics as part of our effort to inculcate an innovative mindset within the next-generation workforce.

Industrial indicators continue to recommend Dow as an attractive employer; in 2022, for the second consecutive year, Dow earned a place on the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, with the data science behind the list provided by Great Place to Work®. We have a policy directly related to talent diversity & retention that requires jobs of certain seniority to be accessible by other Dow employees and we also have a diverse panel to interview diverse candidates to build diverse outcomes.

Around the world, one in seven people will suffer from mental health issues and this is not an easy topic to discuss at work. To dismantle the stigma, Dow became a founding member of WorkWell Leaders Workgroup, made of CEOs who champion mental wellness at work. At Dow Singapore, we have 29 mental health ambassadors available to be a listening ear to any of our employees. This is in addition to the formal resources offered by the company.

Do you have a final message?

As part of our global vision by 2030, Dow committed to a 15% reduction in emissions (amounting to 5 million tons) compared to our 2020 global baseline. In the plastics economy, Dow will help “stop the waste” by enabling 1 million metric tons of plastic to be collected, reused, and recycled through its direct actions and partnerships. By 2050, Dow intends to be carbon neutral (Scopes 1+2+3 plus product benefits).