PepsiCo India & The Social Lab Collaborate For 6th Plog Run

EE News Desk Oct 07, 2024

Marking Swachh Bharat Diwas, the event saw participation from nearly 500 people, collecting over 400 kg of waste around the Leisure Valley area

PepsiCo India, in collaboration with The Social Lab (TSL), led the 6th edition of the Plog Run at Leisure Valley, Gurugram. The initiative embodies the spirit of its guiding principle, ‘Partnership of Progress,’ bringing together organisations and communities for collective action. Aligned with the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission, Plog Run brings together fitness and sustainability, with volunteers collecting plastic waste while jogging.

Celebrated Paralympian Akhlesh Kumar flagged off the Plog Run along with Jagrut Kotecha, Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo India & South Asia; Sahil Arora, Chief Executive Officer, The Social Lab (TSL) and Vikas Bhatia, Executive Director-Group ESG Head, Varun Beverages.

The Plog Run 2024 in Gurugram witnessed an early morning start, with participants coming together for a special warm-up session led by CultFit and an exciting game of football on Gatorade Turf Finder before setting off for Plogging i.e. Jogging through the Leisure Valley area. Participants collected plastic waste, bringing fitness and environmental cleanliness together in a unified effort.

This year's Plog Run saw close to 500 participants, including employees from The Social Lab, PepsiCo India and Varun Beverages, students, volunteers and local citizens, collecting over 400 kilograms of plastic waste around Leisure Valley Sector 29. The collected plastic waste will be segregated and recycled for further use.

Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia, shared, " At PepsiCo India, our 'Partnership of Progress' platform reflects commitment towards fostering a culture of collective action for a greener, more sustainable future. We are happy to see it come alive through the Plog Run by The Social Lab which has brought together organisations and the community. We remain committed to supporting such initiatives that ensure plastic waste is not discarded but recycled. On behalf of PepsiCo India, I sincerely thank the Haryana Government and local authorities for their invaluable support in making the Plog Run 2024 a remarkable success.”

Arora shared, “The Plog Run 2024 in collaboration with our partners embodies our shared commitment to sustainability and community engagement. Together, we are not just encouraging physical fitness but also fostering a culture of environmental stewardship. This collaboration is a testament to the positive impact we can make when we unite for a cause that benefits both our planet and our communities.”

Speaking at the event, Bhatia said, “We are thrilled to join the 6th edition of Plog Run 2024, an event that truly brought joy and energy to all involved. What stands out most is the incredible enthusiasm shown by all participants coming together for a common cause—promoting fitness and sustainability. It was inspiring to see so many people join forces to make a positive impact, and we are proud to be part of this meaningful initiative.”

The Plog Run 2024 has been organised across multiple states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana, and is being organised in Kolkata and Assam, with hundreds of volunteers joining the run for a good cause. By combining fitness with environmental action, the initiative continues to educate diverse communities on the importance of plastic waste management and responsible recycling, aligning with PepsiCo India’s broader efforts to promote sustainability. PepsiCo India’s 'Partnership of Progress' is at the heart of the event, with Varun Beverages, CultFit, Decathlon, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Edelman, Gatorade, Quaker and The Wine Company supporting the cause. Through initiatives like this, PepsiCo India and its partners work collectively to minimise environmental impact while driving awareness about recycling plastic waste into useful items.