Waste management
See a full summary of our waste streams data (PDF).
We manage all waste according to the principles of the ‘waste hierarchy’. Our priority is to use products, processes and services that prevent or eliminate waste. We then look to minimise the waste generated, reusing and recycling wherever possible. Our aim is to use waste disposal methods with the lowest environmental impact, working closely with our service partners to find sustainable solutions for our waste streams.
Measures to minimise and sustainably manage waste from our UK locations include:
- An award-winning plastics reduction strategy to reduce single-use plastics by 91%.
- Reusing 20,000 redundant IT peripherals internally each year, avoiding three tonnes of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
- Our mobile phone fleet uses 100% recyclable, plastic-free packaging and will be free of plastic SIMs by 2024.
- Reverse vending technology to incentivise our people to recycle drinks cans and bottles.
- Redistribution of surplus unsold food from our restaurants to charities and food banks.
- Food ordering guidelines to minimise catering waste from in-house events.
- Local, seasonal produce and ‘wonky’ vegetables used in our restaurants and deli bars.
- Food waste turned into biogas and fertilisers via anaerobic digestion.
- Used cooking oils processed into biodiesel.
- Green tariff pricing for hot drinks bought at on-site coffee shops – disposable cups incur extra charges, a proportion of which is donated to charity.
- Follow-me printing to cut toner consumption and paper waste.
- On-floor recycling stations using a best-practice waste segregation scheme.
- Printers defaulted to double-sided black and white printing to cut toner and paper use.
- On-site filtered water bottling and reusable glass bottles for hospitality services.
- Stationery items made with sustainable, biodegradable or recycled content.
- Online management of corporate credit card statements, mobile phone billing and expense claims.
- Minimising construction and refurbishment waste, reusing and recycling redundant materials.
Performance against our FY23 targets
Target #1: By the end of 2025 reduce waste generated per head by 20% (base year FY19*)
In FY23, waste generated per FTE fell by 69% compared to the base year (FY19*). This was partly attributable to the after-effects of the pandemic i.e., lower occupancy levels in our buildings as our people return to the office environment. We also continue to benefit from the positive impact on waste volumes from our plastics reduction strategy and reduced paper consumption from the use of electronic document solutions and ‘follow-me’ printing. During FY24, we will continue to implement solutions to further reduce waste, including a significant reduction in on-floor print devices.
Target #2: Aim to send zero waste to landfill and maximise waste recycling
In FY23, we continued to divert 100% of our waste from landfill. This has been achieved through close collaboration with our integrated facilities management service provider and landlords, and we will strive to maintain this position in the future.
*FY19 is the base year as this was the last reporting period of pre-pandemic (i.e. typical) operating conditions.
