35 The easier way to go green


Persuading an organisation and its employees to adopt a more environmentally-friendly culture can be a challenging one, writes Alison Dewar of The Business Magazine


Everyone likes to think they “do their bit” towards going green at home – many of us have kitchen caddies for food waste and separate out mixed recycling from non-recycled materials – but at work it can be a different story.


Unless there is a strong waste management policy and a team to champion the cause, then opportunities can be missed.


As entries open for this year’s Thames Valley Business Magazine Awards, Grundon Waste Management is once again sponsoring the Green Progress Award, which last year was won by the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort.


More than two million visitors a year visit the highly-popular family theme park which, as well as more than 55 interactive rides live shows and attractions, has its own 150-room unique LEGO themed resort hotel.


Managing waste and recycling at the Resort is the responsibility of Paul Howard, resort facilities manager, and his colleague Julian Bromley. Together, they work closely with the Grundon team, a partnership that has seen LEGOLAND Windsor Resort achieve zero waste to landfill.


Key milestones have included:


• increasing the total amount of recycled waste from 295.24 tonnes to 568.54 tonnes between 2012 and 2014


• a doubling of the amount of cardboard recycled, thanks to the installation of a cardboard compactor


• segregation and collection of eight different waste streams – including metal, plastics, hazardous and wood – rather than just three


• introduction of Grundon food caddies and bins to many of the food outlets which, in 2014, saw 273.85 tonnes of food waste sent to Anaerobic Digestion


• corridor bins introduced to boost office recycling.


Grundon’s Jack Yarrow, who works with the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort team, said: “It’s clear everyone does a fantastic job in helping to raise the profile of waste management and recycling across the resort.”


This example shows just what can be achieved when an in-house team takes waste management seriously.


One of the keys to success is employee engagement and for many organisations, that


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2016


Paul Howard (2nd right), LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, collecting the Green Progress award from Clayton Sullivan-Webb (right), Grundon Waste Management, at last years Awards


isn’t always easy. A recent State of the Global Workplace report, published by Gallup, says that only one in 10 people feel any sense of excitement and enthusiasm about work and only 49% of employees are proud of where they work.


Faced with statistics like those, it’s clear that strong leadership and the ability to “engage with engagement” at all levels is paramount if greener ways of working are to be implemented.


Erin Buxton, contract manager at Grundon, regularly works with companies who are trying to implement better waste management procedures. She says: “Best practice needs to be led from the top and a good place to start is with a waste awareness day - something which we regularly organise for businesses to help get the waste management message across, as well as focusing on correct segregation of waste and encouraging recycling.


“We know that everyone – including the senior team – needs to understand the likely impact on the business of not managing their waste streams correctly, and also the cost savings benefits that can be achieved alongside the more obvious environmental ones.”


Buxton has put together some top tips to help organisations take that first step towards a greener way of working:


• Develop a “green team” or waste committee


• Identify waste champions who can help spread the waste management and recycling messages


• Set objectives and goals, such as zero waste to landfill, but don’t try to change everything in one go. Small steps can still make a big difference


• Educate your employees, for example by holding Waste Awareness Days. You can’t


businessmag.co.uk


expect them to be engaged and participate unless they understand why they need to do something


• Introduce clear communications - posters and signage on containers can have a dramatic effect by encouraging correct segregation of waste streams and helping boost recycling rates


• Make sure you report back to staff so they know their efforts to recycle are being taken seriously. A good waste management provider will share statistics with you, such as how many trees have been saved by your efforts.


Buxton concluded: “There are many different things organisations can do to promote a greener way of working and, if you’ve already been achieving success, then why not tell everyone and enter this year’s Green Progress Award.


“LEGOLAND Windsor Resort did that last year and walked away as winners - it could be your name on the trophy in 2016.”


Entries close on September 23. For more information on the awards, visit:


businessawards.co.uk/business-awards- categories/


Details: Grundon Waste Management info@grundon.com 01753-686777 grundon.com


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