The reward was one wheelchair for a registered charity or needy individual of the company's choice for every 50,000 tops and tags collected.
On Monday, 13 May 2013 Interwaste handed over seven wheelchairs to Sathya Sai and Tiger Wheel & Tyre to pass on to its chosen beneficiaries.
Gwen Francis, group services HR executive of Tiger Wheel & Tyre, said: "It would have been easy to be overwhelmed by the idea that 50,000 tops and tags is an enormous number to collect in exchange for a single wheelchair, but if anyone understands teamwork and how collective effort can flatten out mountainous challenges, then our employees do.
"In total, we collected more than 350 000 tops and tags in a period of three months to earn not one but seven wheelchairs, all the while ensuring that recyclable waste would be duly recycled."
According to Francis, the Tiger team worked not only with the students from Sathya Sai, but also the community as a whole, urging students, its staff and members of the public to make a concerted effort to collect the tops and tags on a daily basis. The items were then collected by Tiger staff and collated on behalf of the school for weigh-in by Interwaste.
While the collection drive is part of a partnership, the school has handed the logistics of nominating wheelchair recipients over to Tiger Wheel & Tyre. Working with Sathya Sai and its own staff the company calls for nominations from both parties. Employees who wished to put forward an individual or charity for selection are asked to provide a compelling motivation along with their suggestion. After careful review of these motivations, it was decided that the seven wheelchairs would be distributed to seven deserving individuals with special needs.
"Hats off to all Tiger Wheel & Tyre employees, the children of Sathya Sai and the community of Lenasia who participated in this challenge and to Interwaste for the Tops & Tags initiative," concluded Francis.
