The Flipkart Group is ensuring that it contributes to building a greener India by prioritizing sustainability and adopting eco-friendly practices in the Indian e-commerce ecosystem and beyond. Significant strides are already being taken towards a greener future by adopting electric vehicles for last-mile deliveries, optimizing packaging, and investing in renewable energy. At the Sustainability Action Summit 2024, key industry leaders, sustainability partners, and Flipkart's visionary leaders came together to present and implement groundbreaking solutions for a greener future. From fostering conscious consumerism to electrifying e-commerce logistics, the event was a catalyst for paving the way for a more sustainable tomorrow.
The Flipkart Group is making strides in encouraging conscious consumption and focusing on environmental stewardship in the Indian e-commerce ecosystem. The annual Sustainability Action Summit (SAS) 2024 witnessed participation from ecosystem partners with a common vision of shaping a greener future. The event showcased the power of collective action in fostering environmental stewardship within the Indian e-commerce ecosystem.
The summit brought together key industry leaders to explore the intersection of e-commerce, sustainability, and conscious consumerism within the Indian market. Discussions centred around current challenges and opportunities for India’s e-commerce sector, particularly in the context of rising sustainability trends and the growing demand for eco-conscious practices.
The panel emphasized the importance of a supportive regulatory environment and the need for cross-sector collaboration to shift both consumer and producer mindsets, offering actionable insights on how businesses can integrate sustainable practices more effectively.
Talking about the significance of effective waste management, Shobha Raghavan, CEO of Saahas Zero Waste, said, “I believe zero waste is very critical from an angle of culture, policy, and actual operations on the ground because it brings in the concept of reduction. There is an element of behavioral change and responsibility that comes in.”
On sustainability goals that every business should focus on, Divya Sharma, India Executive Director, Climate Group, added, “The commitment has to be around bringing bigger change, being ambitious about climate action, about sustainability, and doing whatever they can do in their might to bring that change, it is not impossible. The challenges are reducing by the day, the costs are coming down by the day.”
“Sustainability is critical to a business like Flipkart which aims to grow responsible consumption. It helps small businesses connect to consumers, and it becomes our responsibility to solve it using technology, innovation, and through meaningful partnerships,” said Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart, explaining the Group’s commitment to building greener tomorrow. Read on to learn more about Flipkart’s sustainable initiatives.
‘Electrifying’ the Delivery Experience
Breaking new grounds, Flipkart became the first e-commerce business in India to introduce electric mobility for deliveries at scale. To showcase that electrifying delivery fleets is a practical and profitable reality, it also became the first e-commerce marketplace in India to join The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative. As part of this initiative, it is committed to adopting 100% of the EV fleet in its last-mile supply chain by 2030.
Steadily accelerating towards its goal of achieving sustainability, Flipkart is implementing a year-on-year growth of 70% of its EV fleet. In fact, its grocery delivery fleet has witnessed a massive 140% rise in electric vehicles. It now powers over half of all its grocery deliveries with clean energy.
In recent years, the group has developed a robust charging infrastructure around its hubs. For Wishmasters (Flipkart’s delivery personnel), this transformation means better efficiency and cost savings, and for customers – a greener shopping experience.
Powering on through Clean Energy
In 2022, Flipkart joined the RE100 initiative led by the Climate Group and committed to sourcing 100% renewable energy for its operations by 2030.
With eco-friendly business policies as the driving force behind its operations, Flipkart continues to implement greener practices in its infrastructure. The Flipkart Fulfilment Center in Haringhata, West Bengal, earned the Green Warehouse Platinum Certification from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
From Waste to Sustainability
Flipkart is also embracing advanced technologies to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The adoption of automated storage, retrieval systems, robotic packaging arms and cross-belt sorters in warehouses has reduced turnaround times by 35%-50%.
Flipkart’s green journey is about taking real, tangible action to create a cleaner world. In 2023, it diverted 3,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste away from landfills across four of its fulfilment centres. This earned a coveted TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Flipkart’s green efforts go far beyond waste. In early 2024, it achieved another significant accomplishment by recycling over 67 million litres of wastewater across its facilities in Rewari and Sanpka (Haryana), Ludhiana (Punjab), and Malur (Karnataka). Flipkart is the first e-commerce organization to partner with the CII’s Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and has received the Net Zero Water certification for these four facilities by reducing its freshwater consumption by over 14 million litres.
Fashioning India with a Green Conscience
In 2020, the Flipkart Group rolled out Myntra for Earth, a first-of-its-kind theme store offering sustainable fashion and lifestyle choices. The store boasts a selection of over 5,500 styles from over 70 brands, prioritizing handloom and handcrafted designs and using organic fabrics, recyclable materials and vegan products.
‘Flipkart Green’, a virtual store on the app launched in early 2023, makes it easier for customers to access sustainable alternatives and shop mindfully. This dedicated section on Flipkart acts as a one-stop shop for more than 30,000 organic, cruelty-free and environment-friendly products from over 40 brands.
While sustainability has become a business imperative, the Flipkart Group is not just keeping pace but forging ahead with its green initiatives. By making them a core part of its operations, Flipkart is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also encouraging millions of customers to choose eco-conscious alternatives. As the journey progresses, the Flipkart Group paves the way for a more sustainable tomorrow – for India and the planet.
