The benefits of recycling for Retail and Wholesale organisations

Estimated reading time: 3 min

As an organisation, you’re considered to have a ‘Duty of Care’ to ensure that the waste your organisation generates is produced, stored, transported and disposed of without harming the environment. This is set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, but new legislation takes this a step further by making workplace recycling a legal requirement.

But there’s more to recycling than complying with legislation! There are lots of other great business reasons to recycle, including:

Helping to tackle climate change: the UK retail industry contributes around 215 million tonnes of CO2 emissions through the lifecycle footprint of goods sold in the UK each year, and retailers also generate an extra 50 million tonnes of emissions from vehicle fuel sales. Defra Official Statistics UK and England's carbon footprint to 2020. The scale of these emissions means any reduction from the retail and wholesale sector will have significant benefits in tackling climate change.
Reducing costs for your organisation: recycling is often cheaper than disposal, and larger organisations could save £400-£1,000 a year per employee WRAP Business Resource Efficiency Guide: Green office guide.  Use our business waste calculator to find out how much you could save. 
Helping fulfil your customers’ : 72% of consumers surveyed said they paid attention to whether a business acted in a climate-friendly way, and 65% felt it was important that the products or services they bought didn’t harm the environment Eon Renewable Returns Green Recovery Report 2020. This means that as your suppliers and customers commit to Net Zero emissions, promoting your recycling activities will be increasingly important.
Improving process performance: eliminating and reducing waste will improve the performance of your processes by making them more efficient.
Attracting, motivating and retaining staff: a successful waste reduction and recycling programme depends on staff involvement and team-working, and people who feel part of an organisation and are asked to be involved with projects are more likely to feel valued by their employer.

80% of young people (aged 18-22) entering the workforce ranked tackling single use plastics as important for employers, ahead of reducing electricity and water consumption. 37% said that they would consider a potential employer’s environmental responsibility when looking for a job. – Business in the Community, Lifting the Lid on Waste.

It’s also worth acknowledging that employees, customers and investors increasingly scrutinise how companies operate. Setting bold public targets and demonstrating good practice in waste management sends a powerful message. It shows that your organisation assumes responsibility for the resources it uses and the waste it generates, demonstrates leadership and shows your workplace to be forward-thinking. 