Capgemini and HHI accelerate solutions for recycling in Southeast Asia

The partners took home the Mobile - IT Services Award at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2022. 

Plastic waste is one of the biggest bulks in what constitutes garbage that either starts to pollute waterways or pile up in landfills. Capgemini and a fully integrated plastic recycling company in Malaysia, Heng Hiap Industries (HHI), partnered up to co-create a solution to combat plastic pollution through recycling, and in doing so earned the Mobile - IT Services Award at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2022. 

The awards programme recognises key players and innovations in the tech industry of Malaysia. Capgemini and HHI have distinguished themselves thanks to the Smart Recycling Mobile Application they have co-created to revolutionise the plastic recycling process for consumers. 

“We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to sustainability through the services we create and deliver to our clients,” said Rajesh Kottul, Chief Sales Officer of Capgemini in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. “Our successful partnership with HHI is yet another proof point of Capgemini’s capabilities to rewrite the playbook and translate sustainability and inclusivity into revenue-generating business imperatives.”

The innovative business roadmap for the app includes a pickup request from customers, where they leave their recyclables on their doorsteps after requesting a pickup from the app. This request is then processed through the app towards collectors, who can then respond, plan routes, check customer satisfaction, and get paid digitally. 

Consumers are rewarded for their initiative to recycle through the app with gamification as they accumulate reward points after every request. The app also makes recycling easier as it directly connects collectors to consumers who need recyclables picked up and helps them plan their routes ahead for efficiency. 

Transparency in the process is provided to consumers through the app, and through Capgemini and HHI’s efforts, the plastic collection community gets uplifted through financial inclusivity from digital or mobile payments, easier access to plastics, and a performance tracker. The transparency that the Smart Recycling Mobile Application provides also allows HHI to show end-to-end traceability of the recycled plastics, which helps to drive up engagement from eco-conscious consumers and brands producing packaged goods. 

Through the digital transformation of its plastic recycling efforts, HHI has been able to collect more and better-quality plastics directly from households that can be sorted and cleaned out, whilst contributing to the visibility of how the plastics are recycled to their consumers. HHI seeks to create a more circular economy for plastics with traceability and visibility, addressing the growing pressure from eco-conscious consumers of their B2B customers. 

Experts from Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE) and specialists in the design and digital customer experience utilised their design-based thinking, focusing sharply on the factors that can be their drivers of success, namely leveraging ethical customers to spike demand for recycled plastics, making the solution more attractive to both consumers and collectors, and helping top consumer brands meet their sustainability commitments by providing the transparency, visibility, and traceability for the recycled plastics.

“In short, we make plastic recycling simple, convenient, and worthwhile,” said Seah Kian Hoe, Founder and Managing Director of HHI. “With integrated traceability and digitisation innovations, we can achieve a greener world and keep waste out of the ground and oceans for good. Capgemini is a believer in digitalisation and sustainability, hence we chose them as our innovation partner for expansion, particularly in the Southeast Asia region. We are truly excited to see where our partnership goes."