It quickly turned into a little ritual, a habit on this blog, to review the past year.
So we are not going to lie to each other, it is always interesting to carry out an evaluation at the end of the year, and to measure the objectives that have been achieved and also to see how we can improve. All while realigning with updates while ticking boxes and adding others.
As a family business and a local player, we must keep this close link with you, our partners / friends who accompanied us in 2022 in our various adventures. Once again we say a big thank you for your loyalty and trust.
In short, we are positively getting down to it once again this year. Curious about the past journey a small business? Let’s have a look…
2022, far from being a long and quiet river
A year 2022 full of surprises , twists and turns: COP 27, the death of Elizabeth II, and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which saw notable performances by various teams.
At the local level, it is worth emphasizing that our economy has been severely impacted for the third year in a row (exit from delicate health crisis, war in Ukraine, energy crisis, etc.). Raw material price rises were extremely costly, raising operating expenses for various industries. Nonetheless, like many other SMEs’, we have had to adapt and, more importantly, innovate.
Indeed, our journey was amazing with the following highlights …
BEM was honored at the 2022 Sustainable Tourism Mauritius Awards ceremony.
In May, we earned a fantastic third prize in our category! It was a lovely surprise at the end of an outstanding evening hosted by Sustainable Island Mauritius. This recognition solidifies our position as a leader in the recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Mauritius. It also recognizes the educational effort that has been done for several years. A special mention goes to our friends from The Good Shop Mauritius, who won first place in the “Handicraft & Local Product” category.
Recycle Hero lit the first candle.
RecycleHero has been with the BEM Recycling team for a year! To commemorate the event, he was asked a series of questions so that we can have his point of view. He will undoubtedly be relied upon again to lead the route to recycling in 2023.
In July, BEM was labeled Made in Moris.
BEM Recycling’s most important EVENT of the year. For the past ten years, the “Made in Moris” label has advocated for more economic autonomy for the Mauritian economy. Its goal is to bring together local brands that can provide a genuine alternative to the overseas market. BEM would like to thank them again and it is an honor to be a part of this wonderful family for the contribution to the advancement of local knowledge. Thierry Malabar, Project Manager at BEM Recycling, was featured on Business Connect to explain the labeling details.
BEM tries its hand at digital!
Of course, we are not a fintech company, but it is always a good idea to connect with new technology and investigate the new opportunities provided by innovative organizations. This is what prompted us to team up with Commute Mauritius of Moka Smart City in the middle of the year. This is a carpooling app that will help you find your passengers or driver in the region. You might be wondering what this has to do with BEM. Carpooling is already one of the finest ways to protect the environment by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Commute program allows the user to accrue coins through carpooling…coins that can then be converted in the app’s store/shop section. BEM is just one of these stores.
Thierry sees more and more of these collaborations. A time-consuming yet vital exercise for the development of the circular economy in Mauritius. We are now in collaboration with 361 group. They have introduced a service for the collection and recycling of used pots, pans and “karay”. The public is highly encouraged to drop them at one of their various branches and afterwards they are sent to BEM Recycling’s plant , where they will be valorised into secondary materials.
Thierry as a globetrotter
2022 was a busy year for initiatives with many groups. BEM Recycling was present in the green market hosted by ENL on June 7. As a result, we were able to provide WEEE recycling services as well as recover a few products such as end-of-life telephone cables and chargers.
We gladly accepted Roselyne and the Kool FM team’s invitation to participate at the radio show : Point Virgule Écologie in October. Finally, on November 4, BEM Recycling participated in a half-day WEEE session at the University of Technology of Mauritius (UTM). Thierry was very keen on encouraging the next generation to join the industry.
BEM is also happy to have hosted various visits throughout the year. Many thanks to Clavis School, Le Bocage, Scouts from Albion and Curepipe, Rotaract de Flacq, Precious PlastiC, and the Indian Ocean Commission for giving these wonderful possibilities. It’s always a delight to talk about sustainable methods and the overall recycling process.
Figures
We were able to gather 3954 kg of electronic waste thanks to our various drop-off depots, which included The Good Shop outlets and the Charity Center in Tamarin. The total weight of glass collected is 5028 kg. This incorporates Precious Plastics’ extraordinary participation. We will never stop appreciating our collaborators, without whom our goals would be impossible to achieve.
Objective 2023: reconnect with you!
We have resumed a more consistent and continuous publication rhythm on our social networks this year, with 11 articles and 11 videos published. This shift was mirrored in the subscription rate, with 10,000 subscribers achieved on Facebook in October. We spent more time developing topics that were important to us.
Beyond the quantity of content available, we are most concerned at BEM with the value it conveys. In any case, it is what we are attempting to achieve and will continue to do in 2023. But, in the end, it will be up to you to decide: what did you think?
What inspires us, like it did when we first started on social media in 2018, is sharing. We will also attempt to provide subscribers and partners greater opportunities to speak. Great contacts are frequently made, and they are frequently virtual!
The key goals for 2023 will be to maintain the current trajectory on various fronts. Aside from recycling, we are thinking about promoting a green and Mauritian economy, precise communication on good habits, and, most importantly, the creation of sustainable pedagogy among the youngest.
So much for our outcomes and goals for 2023. And could you please share yours with us?