Innovation Spotlight: Corporate Social Responsibility in Waste Management

First and foremost, social value matters because it’s the right thing to do. If you can conduct business in a way that makes the world a better place, why wouldn’t you? 

That’s why we are proud to be members of the Social Value Portal, reinforcing our dedication to society with sustainability and social responsibility. Our membership aligns with our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to delivering positive environmental and social impacts through our entire operations.

Our CSR strategy is built on three key pillars: People, Planet, and Partners, each playing a crucial role in driving positive change. People are at the heart of our mission, with investments made in employee development through in-house and vocational training. We champion an inclusive culture and actively support initiatives such as the Armed Forces Covenant which demonstrates a commitment to employing and assisting military personnel in their transition to civilian life in our inclusive and supportive workplace.

While the concept of social value has been around for decades, it gained real momentum with the introduction of the Public Services (Social Value) Act in 2012. The Act requires public sector buyers to ‘consider’ the wider economic, environmental, and social impacts of bids from potential suppliers. The Social Value Portal, a B Corp Certified organisation, helps businesses measure, manage, verify, and report their social, economic, and environmental contributions. It provides a structured framework to quantify impact in areas such as job creation, community investment, environmental sustainability, and responsible supply chains using the National TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, and Measures) Framework. This converts social value into financial terms, allowing us verify and communicate our positive impact.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we are proud to hold the EcoVadis Bronze certification, which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability rating platform that assesses companies across four key pillars: Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.

Our latest assessment placed us among the top performers in our industry:

• Environmental Impact – Top 5% of companies in our sector
• Labour & Human Rights – Top 19% of companies rated
• Ethical Business Practices – Top 8% of companies rated
• Sustainable Procurement – Top 20% of companies rated

This certification reflects our dedication to implementing responsible waste management strategies and continuously improving our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. By aligning with the highest industry standards like EcoVadis, we can support our customers in achieving their sustainability goals.

As your trusted partner, we understand that our impact on the planet matters. That’s why we will always prioritise sustainable practices, including waste reduction, resource recovery, and repurposing materials. Choosing local suppliers for service delivery allows us to generate further social value while reducing our environmental footprint. This ensures a responsible and transparent supply chain that aligns with our environmental and ethical values.

We also actively encourage and support our staff in giving back to the local community by enabling them to undertake charity work, in work time, by providing opportunities to volunteer and contribute to meaningful causes as part of our commitment to social responsibility.

Janice Lack – Marketing Manager said:
“Social value goes beyond our business objectives – it’s about ensuring that our actions have a positive impact on communities, the environment, and the people around us. By focusing on our CSR strategy and delivering verified social value that supports social well-being, sustainability, and sustainable practices, we can help create a better society for everyone. It’s important that we use our operations and influence to do the right thing, not just for profit, but to leave a lasting, positive legacy for future generations.”