Panasonic Empowers Indian Consumers to Turn Sustainability Consciousness into Action

Nothing has evolved faster than technology. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-speed connectivity have transformed the world. But every step forward has a direct and proportionate environmental ramification: a new mountain of obsolete appliances (e-waste). 

The Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) reports that 53.6 million tons of e-waste was produced globally in 2019 and expects to see as much as 120 million tons annually by 2050. Ominously, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that less than one-fifth of e-waste is being recycled responsibly. 

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our way of living and our values. Consumers are now more mindful of their home appliances and about making healthier and sustainable decisions—and they expect companies and organizations to make it easier for them to consume more responsibly.

As consumers globally are taking steps toward sustainability, Panasonic, under Panasonic GREEN IMPACT, is committed to contributing to society-wide reductions in CO₂ emissions by switching customers to energy-saving products and providing customers with energy-saving solutions and green energy technologies—thereby fulfilling its goal of eliminating 110 million tons of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to about 1% of total emissions from global electricity consumption, by 2050. 

Reflecting this long-term sustainable vision, Panasonic Life Solutions India initiated two campaigns to help local consumers make sustainable consumer choices on household items.

In 2019, Panasonic Life Solutions India launched the Diwali Wali Safai campaign to instill a sense of awareness and responsibility among consumers around the issue of rising e-waste and the need for its responsible collection, disposal, and recycling for a sustainable tomorrow. Every year since, the company marks International E-Waste Day by conducting this digital campaign, which encourages consumers to participate in an online contest promoting responsible disposal of their e-waste.

Caption: #DiwaliWaliSafai campaign on Instagram spreads awareness on responsible disposal of e-waste in India. 

The campaign is centered around Diwali, one of the biggest festivals in India. Diwali involves a number of customs and practices—be it lighting diyas, playing cards, cooking delicious meals, or replacing old items with new ones. One important ritual, practiced to attract the blessings of the goddess Laxmi, is the cleaning of homes, including disposal of old household appliances. 

With consumers focused on buying new products and appliances around the festive season, the importance of safely disposing of old electronic items is often overlooked. The Diwali Wali Safai Campaign (#DiwaliWaliSafai) by Panasonic Life Solutions India is an endeavor to not only educate but also help consumers to responsibly dispose their e-waste by offering free home pick-ups for large appliances and assistance in identifying closest collection centers.

Through this campaign, Panasonic urges everyone to proactively become active agents of change and make the Diwali festival greener by responsibly discarding their e-waste. With the right intent and continuous efforts, Panasonic is hopeful of connecting with more consumers across the country to raise awareness around responsible e-waste management. 

Panasonic Life Solutions India’s second campaign, #WelcomeToAdulthood, is an effort to support of young people, mostly first-time buyers, who are embarking on a new life as independent adults. Many are experiencing a shift in their lifestyle due to moving out of home, landing their first job, building new relationships, and setting up an apartment, and will be to seeking to invest in smart, affordable, and sustainable home appliances.

To help young consumers educate themselves and make smart and well-informed decisions while buying home appliances that contribute to more sustainable living, Panasonic Life Solutions India digitally published a series of #WelcometoAdulthood buying guides. 

The campaign content captures fun, relatable moments that people experience when entering adulthood and acknowledges how the right appliances can help make that journey a little easier, more comfortable, and memorable. From setting up a new household to baking a cake at midnight to coming to terms with doing your own laundry, the campaign illustrates how appliances are a key part of different phases of our lives and why making a choice that is both durable and sustainable is so important.

“At Panasonic, our vision is to empower and enrich the lives of consumers by developing innovative products and technology solutions that provide a safer, healthier, connected, and sustainable lifestyle,” said Pooja Garg Khan, head of Corporate Communications, Panasonic Life Solutions India, who led these campaign initiatives in India. “Our campaigns, targeted at millennials and GenZ, support them to make sustainable purchases through our buying guides and to dispose of their old appliances responsibly. With such initiatives, we want to nurture the ecosystem by harnessing sustainable practices, imparting knowledge, and inculcating responsible environmental behavior through active engagements with consumers and communities.” 

Under the corporate brand slogan “Live Your Best”, Panasonic is committed to enriching people’s lives and helping move society forward. These initiatives will help us accelerate the process of innovation and sustainable technology for a smarter and greener tomorrow.