Yemeksepeti supports “From Waste to Code”, initiated by Vodafone

Initiated by Vodafone to raise awareness of e-waste and encourage recycling of e-waste, “From Waste to Code” is growing thanks to its business partners. The number of organizations supporting the project has expanded to 53 with Yemeksepeti.

The support and efforts of its corporate stakeholders are helping Vodafone to develop the “From Waste to Code” project, which has been launched to promote the recycling of e-waste and to raise awareness. The project has now gained support from a total of 53 organizations, with Yemeksepeti being the latest participant. The initiative will make use of the e-waste collection spots currently available at Yemeksepeti Park located in its headquarter in Levent, Istanbul. Further increase in the number of e-waste collection spots, as well as the use of offices and regional warehouses in other cities as e-waste collection spots are planned for the coming period. As part of the collaboration, a webinar on e-waste and sustainability is to be organized for Yemeksepeti staff.

Hasan Süel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Vodafone Turkey, stated:

“One of the issues that has kept the whole world occupied for a long time, and even more than occupied, worried, is climate change. We believe that all parties, especially companies, should take action on this crucial issue. Through our ‘From Waste to Code’ project, which also involves the Vodafone ecosystem, we are encouraging the collection and recycling of e-waste, a major threat to the environment. We open coding classes in schools with the income obtained from the recycling of the electronic waste we collect. Our project is growing every day with the support of our corporate stakeholders. We are delighted that Yemeksepeti has joined us in this endeavor. Through this collaboration, we will continue to expand our project in our ecosystem and open new coding classes in different cities across Turkey. Our collaboration with Yemeksepeti once again demonstrates the value of multi-stakeholderism and the importance of organizations coming together with a focus on social good. We will continue to create value in sustainability with the goal of a better future for all.”

Mert Baki, Yemeksepeti CEO, expressed his thoughts:

“As YemekSepeti, we attribute great value to social responsibility projects and are constantly expanding our efforts in sustainability. Vodafone's ‘From Waste to Code’ project is a remarkably effective initiative not only in e-waste recycling and environmental protection but also in teaching coding skills to our future generations and helping them adapt to the digital age. Our support for this project is an honor and we look forward to expanding our efforts in this area. It is a common goal of both Yemeksepeti and Vodafone to ensure that future generations acquire the necessary skills to take their place in the information society. For me, this collaboration is a step that will pave the way for further cooperation in social responsibility and sustainability.”

Coding classes opened in 8 cities

Vodafone collects e-waste that its employees, employees of business partners, and customers brought from their homes and ensures that this waste is recycled by a licensed recycling company as part of the “From Waste to Code” project, launched in May 2019. Coding classes are established in schools in underprivileged Turkish regions, using the recycling income. Having collected more than 20 tons of e-waste to date, Vodafone Turkey has opened eight coding classes, giving more than 8,000 children access to digital tools. The cities where coding classes have been opened include Mardin, Samsun, Adana, Gaziantep, Bingöl, Çanakkale, Uşak, and Bursa.

What kind of waste is collected?

Unusable computers, tablets, printers, cell phones, keyboards, mouse, chargers, servers, cameras, music players, cables, remote controls, vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, hair dryers, coffee machines, electric kitchen utensils, remote-controlled toys, headphones, video games and game consoles, e-sports equipment and wearable sports equipment are collected as part of the project.

Full support from the Vodafone ecosystem

The “From Waste to Code” initiative began by collecting e-waste from Vodafone Turkey employees, who brought their electronic waste to designated boxes in offices. To collect more e-waste, corporate dealers and the Vodafone Digitalization Truck were also involved in the project. Business partnerships were established as the next step, with e-waste collection boxes placed in their offices. Employees from these partnerships actively participated by bringing their e-waste into these collection boxes. The project’s reach expanded even further with e-waste collection bins in Vodafone stores, encouraging customers to contribute to the cause.

If you are interested in becoming a corporate supporter of the “From Waste to Code” project, please get in touch with us at surdurulebilirlik@vodafone.com.