Supply chain
Giving furniture a
new lease of life
unsure what to do with your redundant bits of office furniture? Colin Crooks, Ceo and founder
of social enterprise, Green-Works, looks at the different routes unwanted office furniture may
take when disposed of in an environmentally sensitive way.
I
n recent years there has been a back up their claims with solid evidence to reduced costs. the graded furniture is then
widespread buy-in among businesses guarantee your items make a genuine impact. transported back to one of our network of
who recognise their social and social enterprise warehouses where it is then
environmental impacts and want
Sort it out
double checked.
to work to improve these areas of their On the basis that the furniture recycling these warehouses are dedicated to
operation. However, while the economic service is collecting all the furniture it is likely providing employment for people from
downturn is currently front-of-mind for many to start with some sort of triage system; a marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds,
companies, corporate social responsibility process of sorting and grouping items before helping to make a difference to local
(cSr) is being pushed down the agenda as they can proceed to the next stage. As the first communities where they are based without
managers are being forced into a delicate stage of the managing and recycling process, undue risk to the client. Green-Works has
balancing act between climate and cost. triage is vitally important as it determines employed 150 people from marginalised or
A lot of businesses don't realise that their where the furniture will end up. the crucial disadvantaged backgrounds in its warehouses
furniture can be disposed of responsibly question to what will happen to each grade of throughout the country.
as traditionally it has been an extremely furniture?
difficult product to dispose of soundly. Many At Green-Works we call the process green
Redistribution
companies offering a service in this field streaming. Green streaming is our way of there are two main routes that the good
are highly selective about the furniture that grading furniture on-site to maximise the quality furniture can go down. the majority
they will collect and the rest has had to go amount of furniture that will be reused. of operators in this field are commercial
to landfill. The situation is changing, but Products will be assessed for their and will quite naturally seek to maximise
there are still very few companies that offer a suitability for the UK third sector market, the value of the furniture they collect by
complete service and fewer still that provide for export to communities in Africa, for placing the product in the markets that can
an ethical and environmental solution. there remanufacturing into new products or for pay the highest price. However, there are
are a number of routes that redundant items recycling or energy recovery. We believe the a number of companies that will actively
may follow so it is important to understand benefits of green streaming to the client are look to redistribute your furniture and
the difference between reusing and recycling increased transport efficiency, reduced time equipment to businesses in the third sector
and vital to ensure that contractors can spent on a contract and most importantly such as charities, schools and not-for-profit
34 SuStainable SolutionS april 2009
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