Month: January 2025

From renovating school libraries in Suriname to running career fairs in Brazil, supporting education initiatives in the Dominican Republic, and pioneering port-focused qualifications in Ecuador, DP World is proving that education can flow as seamlessly as global trade.

When you think of a logistics leader like DP World, you probably imagine shipping containers and cranes — not classrooms and scholarships. Yet DP World is investing in global education to shape future leaders and strengthen the communities it operates in, not least in the Americas.

In celebration of the UN’s International Day of Education, we’re taking a closer look at how DP World is empowering students, teachers, and communities in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Through innovative programs, infrastructure upgrades, and scholarships, DP World is proving that building minds is just as important as moving goods.

Building Futures Through Infrastructure

DP World understands that a strong foundation starts with the right environment. In Suriname, the company partnered with COSCO Shipping Lines to renovate the media library at OS Lobatoschool near the Jules Sedney Terminal in Paramaribo. Completed in late 2024, the project transformed the library into a modern learning space. During the handover ceremony, DP World Paramaribo CEO Mervel Kotzebue-Fleur emphasized the importance of education in shaping Suriname’s economic future.

Meanwhile, in Peru, the DP World Race, a 10K charity run, has been funding school improvements in Callao for over a decade. In 2024, proceeds from the race helped build eight digital classrooms, a computer lab, and a library at Luisa de Sabogal 5001 school, benefiting over 430 students.

In Ecuador, DP World has partnered with ESPOL University to deliver a port-focused technical qualification through the Academic Unit for Technical and Technological Training (AUFTT) in Posorja. Offering qualifications in mechatronics and port logistics, 40% of training is conducted in DP World facilities.

Empowering Students with Scholarships and Career Guidance

Scholarships are a cornerstone of DP World’s education strategy, breaking down barriers for low-income families. In Chile, the Pre-University Program in San Antonio has supported over 300 students since 2016, helping them prepare for the Higher Education Admissions Test (PAES). Nearly 70% of participants are children of employees, while the remaining 30% are high-achieving local students.

In Brazil, DP World is preparing students for the logistics workforce through its Global Education Program (GEP). From September to November 2024, the program reached 140 students with interactive sessions on sustainability, decarbonization, and human resources. At a career fair hosted in partnership with SENAI, over 200 students connected with DP World Santos managers and explored how their studies could lead to real-world opportunities.

In the Dominican Republic, DP World’s Visión Futuro initiative has impacted approximately 6,000 young people by focusing on education, labor insertion, women’s empowerment, and youth networks. Programs include a School Retention effort benefiting 2,000 students, vocational technical training for 805 participants, and entrepreneurship support for 388 individuals. Since 2020, DP World has invested over $512,570 in Visión Futuro, with an additional $138,000 planned for 2025.

Ecuador’s AUFTT program also highlights the transformative power of education. For 25-year-old Sharon Baque, a mechatronics student, it has meant becoming the first in her family to pursue a college degree. In Chile, San Antonio’s Technical-Professional Talks Program and educational terminal visits, at both locations, help foster students’ interest in both the academic training and career prospects in the supply chain industry.

Recognizing Academic Excellence

Celebrating student success is just as important as creating opportunities. In Chile, DP World held award ceremonies in July 2024 at its San Antonio and Lirquén terminals, recognizing over 100 students for their outstanding academic performance.

Similarly, in Peru, DP World’s EcoCuentos initiative took a creative twist. Over four editions, the program published 1,400 books featuring stories written by employees and their families. The stories, which focus on topics like climate change and ocean conservation, have reached over 4,000 children in Callao and Paita, inspiring a love for learning and sustainability.

Breaking Barriers for Women in Education

DP World is also addressing gender inequality in education and the workforce. In Ecuador, the Operators of the Future program trains women to work in traditionally male-dominated roles, such as crane and forklift operation.

In Suriname, the DP World 4 Women initiative honored 26 female teachers at OS Lobatoschool for their dedication to shaping future leaders. Female employees from DP World Paramaribo provided care kits to the teachers as a gesture of appreciation during Women’s History Month.

In Chile, DP World’s sustainability efforts include courses for women heads of household in Lirquén, equipping them with tools to work in a trade.

Why Education Matters to DP World

So why is a global logistics company so invested in education? For DP World, it’s about more than corporate social responsibility. Education is a long-term investment in the communities where it operates — and in its own future workforce. By aligning its programs with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), DP World is building a pipeline of talent while fostering economic growth and social equity.

The impact goes deeper. From Suriname’s revitalized libraries to DP World’s pioneering university-partnership in Ecuador, education initiatives are transforming lives across the Americas. By investing in students, teachers, and infrastructure, DP World is proving that education can be the ultimate supply chain—one that delivers opportunity and prosperity for all.

Curious to learn more? Visit DP World’s Global Education Platform for free resources, career tools, and a closer look at how DP World is shaping the next generation of leaders.

Packaging is a ubiquitous aspect of healthcare treatments and while hospitals and their staff often share a strong purpose to address packaging waste, the challenge is significant. As 85% of hospital waste is considered to be non-hazardous, free from patient contact and contamination, a more sustainable management of packaging waste at the end of life should be feasible. Realizing the economic value of this waste will help drive change and enhance recycling efforts.

Our previous case study in 2024 involved four European hospitals that were managing plastic waste at varying levels. The study focused on plastics waste generated within hospital operating rooms, the challenges of waste sorting at the point of use, and the implementation of waste collection systems.

In a new project, the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) aims to gain insight into the sorting of healthcare plastic packaging into streams categorized by material type and suitable for subsequent recycling. This first pilot study assesses the sortability of a small batch of healthcare plastic packaging waste generated within a hospital. The long-term aim of the project is to demonstrate that commercial sorting and recycling of healthcare plastic packaging waste is possible, can be scaled, and that the recycled material has financial value. This necessitates the ability of healthcare plastic packaging to be identified and separated from packaging waste into intended waste material fractions with high sortability yields.

Our Partners

Our partners in this initiative include UMC Utrecht (UMCU) hospital, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, which provided a batch of uncontaminated healthcare plastic packaging waste. This waste was subsequently sorted by our second partner, the National Test Centre Circular Plastics (NTCP) also in the Netherlands.

The Pilot StudyCollecting the Test Batch

At UMCU hospital, a healthcare plastic packaging waste batch of about 2 cubic meters was collected from surgery preparation areas, wards, and medication rooms. The packaging was free from contamination and included only healthcare plastic packaging waste, excluding other waste sources such as consumer packaging waste. Both flexible and rigid plastic packaging were collected to represent a typical mix of healthcare plastic packaging formats and materials used in hospitals. Sterilization wraps or shrink wraps were not included in the study as UMCU has dedicated recycling programs for their end-of-life treatment.

During the pilot study, UMCU’s routine procedures for waste segregation were followed with no additional instructions on disposing of healthcare plastic packaging. The test batch consisted of healthcare plastic packaging waste collected at specific points in the hospital.

Sorting and Analyzing the Test Batch

The collected test batch was manually sorted at the NTCP facility following RecyClass guidance for waste segregation, considered a benchmark for commercial waste sorting operations. The batch was sorted into typical waste streams according to polymer type and form (rigids/flexibles). Manual sorting is a reliable way to sort smaller batches for which automated technologies are not feasible due to the small sample size. A portable NIR-spectrometer was used to determine unknown packaging materials.

Rigid packaging represented 74% of the test batch by weight, while flexible mono-material and multilayer packaging accounted for the remaining 26%.

In principle, for the rigid packaging waste, the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) packaging could be recycled within polyolefin mono-material streams. Moreover, the polyester (PET) rigid packaging could be recycled within the rigid PET stream. The percentage of these packaging that could actually be sorted and recycled would be limited by other Design for Recycling factors. For example, those that include a paper label may not be suitable for sorting or recycling.

For the flexible materials, PE (10%) and PP (4%) films could be recycled within flexible mono-material polyolefin streams. Multilayer flexibles that contain polyamide (PA) or PET components (11% of the waste batch) remain a challenge and for the moment would be considered non-recyclable within most European countries.

From this test batch, in a best-case assessment, up to 84% of the packaging waste could be directed into an appropriate stream for subsequent recycling.

Next Phase of the Project

This pilot phase focused on a small quantity of packaging material from specific locations within the UMCU hospital and was manually sorted to generate a more detailed picture of material types. The next phase is to evaluate a larger batch of plastic packaging waste, moving from manual sorting to automatic sorting representative of commercial sorting facilities.

Our ongoing aim is to:

Provide further insights into the expected material composition of healthcare plastic packaging waste.Assess how effectively the waste can be commercially sorted into specific waste streams, suitable for recycling.Evaluate the quality of the recycled waste and the value it may have when used in new applications.Identify types of packaging that are not currently suitable for recycling and comment on how packaging design could further improve recycling rates.

Throughout Europe, many healthcare facilities and waste management companies are developing systems to collect, sort and recycle healthcare plastic packaging waste. If you are interested in our work or wish to be involved, please reach out to HPRC.

 

About HPRC

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling in support of a circular plastics economy. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.