1. Please tell us something about your early days & career story.
Rahul: I hold a degree in Accounting and Finance and have cleared all three levels of the CFA program. But while I am inherently academic, I have always been deeply passionate about circularity, sustainable policies, and practices that create value.
Over 7 years ago, my co-founder Gurashish Singh Sahni and I realized that there was a dire need for awareness and action on resource recovery. There was also a huge gap in the market for a business like ours. This is what led to the founding of ReCircle in 2016 as an innovative, multifaceted solution to India’s burgeoning waste management woes. Today, we are a multi-stakeholder clean-tech organization working towards a circular future enabling people to re-imagine their relationship with waste.
We have now driven circular projects having diverted over 1,00,000+ MT of waste from oceans and landfills across 300 cities and towns in India and impacted the lives of over 3000 Safaai Sathis. And, we are only just getting started.
2. How does ClimaOne leverage technology to transform waste management and promote a circular economy?
Rahul: ClimaOne is our revolutionary tech-enabled platform designed to transform the informal waste supply chain. It connects all stakeholders (collectors, processors, and brands) and provides complete visibility and control over their supply chain, from sourcing to disposal of waste. Apart from in-built traceability, ClimaOne offers data capabilities and analytics helping brands deep-dive into a wealth of advanced functionalities to seamlessly navigate their supply chain.
With technology, we can usher in an ethical circular economy more efficiently which is why we are so optimistic about leveraging technology.
3. Can you explain how ClimaOne enables traceability and transparency in the supply chain for plastic/EPR credits?
Rahul: ClimaOne enables businesses to trace the supply chain from collectors to processors, bringing in transparency. It ensures end-to-end traceability for plastic credits, live data tracking, reporting for SDGs and compliance and non-duplication of plastic credits. With access to the brand dashboard, brands can ethically purchase and trace plastic credits.
4. What specific benefits does ClimaOne offer to brands, processors, and waste collectors?
Gurashish: ClimaOne’s features are user-centered making it possible to re-engineer the way the supply chain operates resulting in a simplified sustainability journey.
Brands can now say goodbye to manual processes/ guesswork and embrace efficiency with its intuitive features across the brand, processors, and collectors portals.
Comprehensive Plastic Credits Traceability
Integration to the CPCB Board, including a Compliance Dashboard
Instant Insights, Reporting, and Data Visualization
Efficient Certificate Tracking and Query Resolution
For processors, ClimaOne provides access to a reliable supply of high-quality scrap materials, the ability to unlock new revenue streams, and contribute to a circular economy.
Streamlined Vehicle Tracking and Inventory Management
Simplified Certification Validation and Data Availability
Comprehensive record-keeping via Audit Logs and Ledger Systems
Collection partners have access to a dual-language mobile app that seamlessly integrates with the processor and brand portals to maximize reach and traceability. For them, ClimaOne is not just an app — it is also an empowerment tool.
Seamless Integration with Processor and Brand Portals
Effortlessly Connect with Key Stakeholders to maximize your reach
Benefit from Heightened Security measures and Increased Income Opportunities
5. How does ClimaOne help businesses achieve EPR compliance and improve their sustainability credentials?
Gurashish: Oftentimes, businesses lack the expertise to comply with EPR norms — there are ever-evolving guidelines/ frameworks to track. We work with brands to understand their EPR targets and sustainability goals and come up with innovative ideas which are cost-saving and importantly, transparent and circular. Most of the time, brands also do not have data to back their claims when it comes to EPR compliance and is often suspected of greenwashing.
Our subject matter experts and proprietary technological tools together enable them to achieve their circular goals. With ClimaOne, businesses have access to a visualized dashboard, reports about waste streams and the collection/ processing process, information on emission factors, real-time data, etc. enabling them to understand the impact they will be able to create by turning waste into a valuable resource.
6. How does ClimaOne contribute to building a more organised and responsible resource management system in India?
Gurashish: Most importantly, ClimaOne bridges the gap in our mission to foster a circular economy and connects stakeholders, driving sustainable practices driving us towards a future where waste is minimized, and resources are maximized. The need of the hour is that we need formalization of processes and an ethical supply chain, which ClimaOne enables us to achieve. We need to put an ecosystem in place in order to build a platform for waste from collection to recycling.
7. What’s next for ReCircle?
Rahul: We are excited about driving the next phase of a clean-tech revolution in India. Over the next few months, we are going to be heavily focused on onboarding brands to ClimaOne. We are in a mature growth phase right now and are putting our efforts into building our technology capabilities to impact lives, and better cater to a transparent and ethical supply chain. Together, we can create a world where waste is reduced and circularity is at the forefront — and we are optimistic ClimaOne will help us get there.
ABOUT RECIRCLE
Founded in 2016 by Rahul Nainani and Gurashish Sahni, ReCircle is a resource recovery enterprise working towards a sustainable future. Headquartered in Mumbai — India, ReCircle has driven circular projects over 7 years having diverted over 1,00,000+ MT of waste from oceans and landfills across 300 cities and towns in India and impacted the lives of over 3000 Safaai Sathis.
As a technology-enabled enterprise, ReCircle enables transparency and accountability in the resource value chain to promote sustainable production and consumption of resources. The company empowers consumers, government & brands to divert waste away from landfills and oceans, back into the economy to be recycled, reused or repurposed.
To achieve its mission, ReCircle has instituted flagship initiatives such as, ClimaOne, Plastic EPR Service, Plastic-Neutral programs and ground-level community collection drives. ClimaOne — a circular waste management platform driven by technology — aims to offer stakeholders (across the value chain) complete visibility and control over their supply chain, from sourcing to disposal.
Interviewed By - Aarya Gode
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