We will demonstrate how voluntary agreements, supported by advice, can help businesses contribute to the goal of zero waste in a region.
Aims
To show how voluntary commitments can help businesses use resources more efficiently.
Local authority recycling and waste commitment
Research by Defra has found that many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) look to local authorities to provide them with recycling services and with environmental advice.
Benefits to businesses
Encouraging local authorities to sign up to this commitment will:
- increase access to recycling services by businesses
- make businesses aware of their legal responsibilities regarding waste
- increase business confidence and satisfaction with recycling services
Local authorities who sign up to the Commitment demonstrate their intent to provide businesses with an effective waste and recycling service, either themselves, or through private and third sector waste management providers.
Benefits to authorities
Honouring the commitment will lead to to:
- reduced waste to landfill
- less misuse of household services
- increased customer attraction and retention
- increased income potential
- greater economic development
Resources
There are a range of resources and support available to help all authorities meet the principles of the Commitment and we will provide specific support to a number of authorities in the south east to monitor the Commitment’s effectiveness.
If you would like to get involved or would like further information go to the business commitement pages of WRAP's website or email WRAP's Commitment Team.
A road map for the events industry
The events industry is looking to become more sustainable. Through industry consultation we are developing a roadmap for organisations who want to reduce their waste and provide tools to help them do so. Working closely with the events industry, this roadmap aims to be the first stage of a longer process to raise awareness of the impact waste has on the economic and environmental delivery of events. It will highlight the overarching vision of zero waste to landfill from the events industry by 2020; will challenge the industry to consider how it can collaborate to achieve this; and highlight steps that need to be considered when deciding to hold an event, whatever the size or nature of the location.
To support the implementation of the roadmap we are producing a number of case studies about how to achieve resource efficiency within the events industry. These case studies will cover a range of different types of event.
Support is already available. Working in partnership with LOCOG (the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games), WRAP has developed a free online tool for event organisers, venues and suppliers to manage and reduce event related waste.
To find out more about the event roadmap please register on the WRAP website.
Training business advisors in specific guidance for businesses and in the outputs from EPOW
The project set out to provide training for business support organisations (BSOs) on the objectives, methods and deliverables of the EPOW programme. The aim was to encourage BSOs to signpost their audiences to the EPOW programme in the south east. With uncertainty over how business support will be delivered in the future it was agreed that existing Business Link advisers should be trained in EPOW goals and objectives by the end of March 2011.
Benefits
This work will increase business awareness about the benefits of resource efficiency. It will highlight the impact of being resource efficient on a business’s competitive and environmental performance. Through the waste collection commitment we will encourage more businesses to recycle and improve access to recycling services.
The roadmap for the events industry will help businesses in this sector meet the sustainability demands of their clients, achieve cost savings, and reduce their environmental impact.
Project status
The waste collection commitment was launched by Lord Taylor at the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) Conference on the 19th October 2011. A workshop was held in February 2012 to raise awareness of the commitment and the benefits of signing up, which brought together local authorities and other key stakeholders to share good practice on meeting the principles and discuss barriers and solutions to improved waste management by SMEs. A resource pack for local authorities can be found on the WRAP website. A one-year-on workshop was held at the 2012 LARAC conference.
The events industry roadmap has been developed by a select group of stakeholders predominately in south east England. Following interest from both Wales and Scotland, further stakeholder groups were set up to make ensure that it was fit for the industry across the UK. Following the stakeholder workshops the roadmap was then shared with the wider industry through an engagement period. The final roadmap will be launched early in 2013. The results of the engagement will available on WRAP’s website. To support the roadmap there are a number of best practice case studies being developed in collaboration with the event industry to highlighting resource efficiency.
Training for business support organisations was completed in March 2011. Over 40 business link advisors were trained in how to help a business become resource efficient. We are currently producing a report to summarise the training, its benefits and the lessons learned.
WRAP took over responsibility for this work from SEEDA in March 2011.
