CARTO > Case Studies > Leveraging Location Intelligence to Combat Global Littering: A Case Study on Philip Morris International

Leveraging Location Intelligence to Combat Global Littering: A Case Study on Philip Morris International

Applicable Industries

Recycling & Waste Management

About The Customer

Philip Morris International is a leading international tobacco company with a diverse workforce of around 73,500 people from all over the world. The company is committed to replacing cigarettes with smoke-free products as quickly as possible. As part of their corporate social responsibility, they have launched a global initiative called 'Our World Is Not an Ashtray' to combat the issue of cigarette butt littering. They aim to increase their participation in clean-up activities and raise awareness about the problem of littering in local communities.

The Challenge

Philip Morris International, a leading international tobacco company, is faced with the challenge of cigarette butts being the most littered item in the world, with 4.5 trillion discarded each year. As part of their global initiative 'Our World Is Not an Ashtray', they aim to increase the scale and reach of their participation in clean-up activities. They also want to raise awareness of the issues of littering, and cigarette butt littering particularly, in local communities. The challenge lies in the sheer scale of the problem, the need for accurate data on litter hotspots, and the requirement to monitor the impact of anti-littering activities effectively.

The Solution

In response to this challenge, Philip Morris International partnered with Litterati, Cortexia, and CARTO to implement a data-driven approach to combat littering. This approach involved assessing the prevalence of cigarette butt litter across the globe, identifying litter hotspots, and monitoring the impact of anti-littering activities. CARTO's previous work with Litterati enabled Philip Morris International to quickly leverage their combined technology. This technology was used to gather behavioral insight on cigarette butt littering, map problem areas, and mitigate future risk. The solution provided a comprehensive, data-driven strategy to address the global issue of cigarette butt littering.

Operational Impact

The partnership with Litterati, Cortexia, and CARTO allowed Philip Morris International to implement a data-driven approach to combat the global issue of cigarette butt littering. This approach not only helped in identifying and mapping the problem areas but also in monitoring the impact of their anti-littering activities. The use of technology also provided valuable behavioral insights on cigarette butt littering, which can be used to devise effective strategies to mitigate future risk. This initiative is a significant step towards their goal of raising awareness about littering in local communities and increasing their participation in clean-up activities.