Gatorade Plant Provides Work Opportunities for People with Different Abilities & Improves Recycling

EnAble is PepsiCo's employee resource group committed to cultivating an environment of inclusion and success for people with different abilities. As part of PepsiCo's EnAble diversity and inclusion initiative, the Wytheville Gatorade plant contacted the Preserve group to provide job opportunities to persons with differing abilities. Initiated over three years ago, the work of the Preserve group employees improves the recyclability of the SoBe Life Water bottles and bottle shrink labels.

This straightforward work method has been running smoothly since the program's inception. Employees at the Preserve facility strip off the SoBe labels, allowing for separate recycling of the labels and bottles. This significantly increases the amount and value of the recyclable materials. Waste Management recycles the bottles via their national program, which maximizes recycling revenue. The labels are ground and flaked at the Preserve facility and used in the manufacture of carpet and textiles. The Gatorade Wytheville relationship with Preserve encouraged Waste Management to utilize the Preserve group for other customers in Southwestern Virginia with hard to handle recyclables that would have been landfilled.

This program serves as a great example of the possibilities that emerge when business, community and eco-responsibility come together.