UK's Business in the Community Launches Campaign Against Waste

A campaign to make UK workplaces more sustainable and less wasteful is being launched by the charity Business in the Community today with backing from businesses such as PwC, Lloyds Banking Group, Interserve, and premises group, JLL.

The UK generates around 200 million tons of waste a year; 24 per cent of this is generated by businesses, that’s 10 per cent more than from households, and a massive 50 per cent is generated by construction*. It is estimated that a typical office wastes enough energy to make 1000 cups of tea** and the cost of office waste to UK businesses is around £15bn a year***.  Business in the Community is calling for businesses to change the way they design and use their workplaces to create more sustainable offices that minimise negative impacts on the environment, reduce businesses costs and help to create new jobs and partnerships.

There are growing numbers of companies who are already taking an innovative ‘circular’ approach to their workplace design and waste.  Professional services firm, PwC looks at every possible opportunity to 'go circular' and increase the sustainability of their premises. It achieved zero to landfill in 2012 and, to date has cut paper consumption by close to 60%, saving an estimated £3.9m; cut energy use by around half, saving more than £20m and recycles or reuses over 85 per cent of all waste., It now generates an income from circular solutions, for example refurbishing and reselling its laptops and smartphones generates over £500,000 a year.

Bridget Jackson, PwC’s Head of Corporate Sustainability, said: “Growing in momentum, the circular economy is a strategic concept that can, in large part, be delivered by down-to-earth, practical solutions. At PwC, we’ve been applying these principles since 2007 and over the last five years have set up reuse and recycling systems for all the main waste streams arising from our operations. We’re now entering the third phase of our strategy, focusing on identifying solutions through 'circular procurement' and it’s exciting to see how far we can go. We’re delighted to be working with Business in the Community to share what we've learnt so that others benefit from our experience and 'go circular' more quickly.”

Business in the Community is launching a free online resource to help businesses follow in PWC’s footsteps and ‘go circular’. It is asking businesses to commit to taking one step towards a more environmentally sustainable office, to work with their suppliers and customers and to share their tips, lessons learned and examples over the next year to inspire more businesses to act.  

Rest at:  https://www.bitc.org.uk/news-events/news/business-community-launch-campaign-cut-waste-uk-workplaces