Quicklets and Zanzi Homes Group is going single-use plastic free across all of its branch outlets.

This June, to further focus on its environmentally friendly mentality, the QLZH Group, through its foundation, is going ‘single-use plastic free’ across all of its branch outlets throughout Malta and Gozo.  The 25 branches are gearing up to drastically reduce the consumption of particular plastic items such as cutlery, cups, ‘take out’ containers and bottles that are disposed of after first use.  The group is encouraging its team to find alternative options in order to remove, re-use and recycle.

“Single-use plastic leaves a huge carbon footprint, kills marine animals and birds, as well as enters our own food chain. Our group has always been at the forefront of promoting and supporting sustainable measures and we are endeavouring to go one step further by mobilising our staff to change our daily habits, while contributing to a cleaner environment,” says group founder and CEO Steve Mercieca.

The Zanzi Homes head office in Spinola and the Attard branches were the first three to pilot this project over a period of three months. The franchise owners met regularly and formulated an action plan which includes a list of alternative options to single-use plastic. After successful implementation in their respective offices, these three leaders will act as single-use plastic free champions to the other 22 branches by providing an operating manual and to act as a point of reference. 

Mr Mercieca says: “This initiative is part of a wider plan to save something very dear to us Maltese: the ocean surrounding the Maltese Islands. On June 8, to mark World Ocean Day, over 20 members of staff will be diving into teams to collect waste material, including plastic, which is dumped and settled on the seabed.” 

Last February, the group also organised a competition between all its branches to identify the most sustainable one by rating each of them against a scorecard. The branches were graded on sustainable measures employed such as use of energy-saving bulbs, waste separation, maximisation of natural light and use of plants in the offices. The Attard branch was selected as the winner.

The activities carried out by the QLZH Foundation to sustain a greener environment picked up momentum in 2018 by means of planting and distributing over 400 trees. A further 50 trees were handed out at The One Drop Festival last weekend. The foundation has also partnered up with the NGO Act. to strategise its project of planting one million trees over a period of 10 years.