Sustainable office supplies business, Wiles Greenworld, part of Commercial Group, has been awarded top prize in the 'corporate recycler' category of the National Recycling Awards 2017.
Wiles Greenworld was the only business from the office supplies sector to reach the finals. Other firms shortlisted in its category included Ikea and Kellogg's.
Judges were impressed with the innovation and simplicity of a Wiles Greenworld initiative that involves collection of recyclable office waste as a backload from customer sites. Because vehicles are already 'on patch' the cost of collection is marginal, allowing the service to be offered free of charge. It also reduces the number of vehicles that would otherwise be on the roads to collect the recycling, easing congestion and air pollution.
National Recycling Awards judges said of the initiative, "this is innovative but really simple, demonstrating the art of the possible. It is about changing clients' attitudes and providing a shift in culture. Transferable and replicable, this has the potential to reshape how things are done."
The scheme is underpinned by Wiles Greenworld's environmental policy, which commits to promoting sustainability amongst suppliers and customers.
Jonathan Withey, Lead Sustainability Consultant at Wiles Greenworld said, "collecting recycling while delivering products is a classic example of the closed-loop thinking that more companies need to embrace. Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest. Rolling this concept out across multiple towns, cities and industry sectors could play a significant role in the reduction of vehicle emissions."