How can global corporations and local entrepreneurs collaborate to fight plastic pollution at scale?

In this week's episode, host Anna Stablum welcomes Jessie Coates, EY Corporate Responsibility Markets Leader, and Bintang Ekananda, Founder and CEO of Alner. Together, they unpack the unique public-private partnership known as TRANSFORM, a collaboration between Unilever, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and EY. This decade-long initiative connects multinationals with mission-driven startups in Asia and Africa to scale innovative, market-based solutions.

Jessie and Bintang share how Alner’s refill-and-reuse business model is helping reduce plastic waste in Indonesia and how this collaboration supports both impact and profitability.

During this episode, you will learn:

• How refill systems are transforming local retail in Indonesia

• Why big brands benefit from investing in impact-driven startups

• How public-private partnerships accelerate sustainability solutions

• What’s needed to scale circular packaging models & reduce single-use plastic waste

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Episode Resources:

Alner – Circular Retail & Refill Solutions in Indonesia: https://www.alner.id/

TRANSFORM Program – Unilever, UK FCDO and EY Impact Accelerator: https://transform.global/

EY Ripples – Shaping the future with confidence: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/corporate-responsibility/ey-ripples

UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution (Global Plastics Treaty Overview): https://www.unep.org/intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-plastic-pollution 

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About ESG Decoded 

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Join Emma Cox, Erika Schiller, and Anna Stablum for thoughtful, nuanced conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts that explore the complexities about the risks and opportunities connected to (E)nvironmental, (S)ocial and (G)overnance. We like to say that “ESG is everything that’s not on your balance sheet.” This leaves room for misunderstanding and oversimplification – two things that we’ll bust on this podcast.

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*This episode was produced by Singing Land Studio 

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