Invest for Jobs and partners launch the “Green Jobs from a Box” initiative, Egypt’s first end-to-end recycling system.

Invest for Jobs in partnership with SIG and Plastic Bank has launched “Green Jobs from a Box,” the country’s first full-cycle recycling system for beverage cartons – boosting circularity, supporting over 1,000 waste collectors, and setting the stage for Extended Producer Responsibility.

Invest for Jobs, in partnership with SIG Group, Plastic Bank, Carta Misr, and TileGreen Tech, has launched the “Green Jobs from a Box” initiative, Egypt’s first end-to-end recycling system for aseptic beverage cartons.

This milestone marks a multi-year effort to reshape Egypt’s packaging landscape by introducing a closed-loop approach: from community collection to fiber recovery, to Polymer/Aluminum(Poly-Al) reuse. Beyond recycling, the initiative is creating green jobs, improving the livelihoods of waste collectors, advancing circularity, and setting the stage for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the country.

The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH within the framework of the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition" and develoPPP. It aims to collect more than 700 metric tons of used beverage cartons while enhancing the livelihoods of over 1,000 local waste collectors. The collectors are trained in good waste collection practices and integrated into more formal business structures. Furthermore, the collection process will be professionalized through the use of digital blockchain technology, enabling the waste collectors to increase their income levels and gain access to health insurance.

The launch event brought together government officials, diplomatic representatives, industry leaders, and key partners from the private sector, including Beyti (a subsidiary of the regional food and beverage company, Almarai) and Juhayna Food Industries, for a live demonstration of the recycling process, a strategic panel discussion, and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the paper mill, Carta Misr.

“The ‘Green Jobs from a Box’ initiative is a powerful example of how innovative partnerships can contribute to advancing our vision toward a circular economy in Egypt,” stated HE. Dr. Manal Awad, Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment. “It aligns closely with our national sustainability strategy and supports the transition toward a green economy that creates decent jobs, empowers local communities, and protects our natural resources. By turning waste into value and integrating the informal sector, this model contributes to achieving our broader goals within Egypt’s Vision 2030, while accelerating this transition through the application of the Extended Producer Responsibility principle. We look forward to the prosperity of this initiative and to inspiring similar efforts across all of Egypt."

Andreas Ruepp, Head of Business and Green Transformation Cluster at GIZ Egypt added: “GIZ is pleased to support this impactful partnership through BMZ's develoPPP programme and Invest for Jobs initiative. This pioneering collaboration exemplifies a successful public-private partnership that not only addresses a critical environmental challenge but also fosters social and economic development by creating green jobs. The project demonstrates the potential of inclusive and innovative models of packaging waste, transforming it into social and economic value. This system aligns with our global priorities for a just transition and we hope it will inspire further collaboration in Egypt and beyond to advance a circular economy.”