Another year of ISO excellence
Footprint is proud to announce that it has successfully maintained its ISO certifications: ISO 9001 for Quality Management and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management.
This achievement underscores our commitment to upholding the highest standards in both quality and environmental responsibility, which are essential for meeting the needs of our customers and partners.
Footprint's ongoing compliance with these internationally recognised standards demonstrates our dedication to operational excellence. ISO 9001 ensures that our quality management systems consistently meet client expectations, while ISO 14001 reflects our commitment to environmentally sustainable practices.
Robyn Brook, the Founder, stated: "We are incredibly proud to announce that we have successfully maintained our ISO certifications for another year. This achievement is significant as it reflects our ongoing commitment to quality and excellence, especially as our business expands.
Our current and future customers and partners can confidently rely on us, knowing we are dedicated to upholding rigorous standards. We are constantly reviewing our processes and seeking innovative ways to enhance our services and operations, ensuring that we meet and exceed expectations.
Maintaining these high standards requires a dedicated team, and this accomplishment results from an excellent team effort."
Recycle Week 2024 - Rescue me! Recycle
It's Recycle Week (14-20 October), and this year, we're celebrating and highlighting items that can be recycled.
Recycle Week is the UK's biggest celebration of recycling, and for Recycle Week 2024, Footprint is joining an urgent crusade to save five packaging items from being thrown away and to keep them out of the bin by living a circular life through recycling.
The latest research from Recycle Now shows that while we are a nation of recyclers - nine out of ten people regularly recycle - nearly eight out of ten of us (79%) put one or more items into the bin that can be recycled.
We are supporting the 'Rescue Me – Recycle' campaign to raise awareness about the five types of packaging that need recycling: aerosols, trigger spray bottles, plastic pots, perfume bottles, and toilet roll tubes.
Recycling is essential to reducing the environmental impact of our purchases. By keeping these materials in circulation, we can lower emissions. While most people recycle, we need to ensure that everyone recycles everything they can, including every aerosol, trigger spray bottle, plastic pot, perfume bottle, and toilet roll tube. Rescue, recycle!
To learn more about the recycling process, visit Recycle Now. To find out what can be recycled in your area, enter your postcode into the Recycling Locator for instant information on recycling anywhere in the UK.
If you're a business looking to make a meaningful impact, join us in our 'Rescue Me – Recycle' campaign! Together, we can turn waste into sustainable solutions for our planet. Your contributions matter whether you're a small startup or an established business. Feel free to reach out if you want to learn how your business can play a pivotal role in this initiative. Let's collaborate for a greener future, drop us a line clare@footprint-recycling.com.
INTRODUCING THE NEW 2025 MANDATORY WASTE LEGISLATION IN ENGLAND
In October 2023, the UK Government introduced new Simpler Recycling legislation as part of the Environment Act 2021 to improve waste collection and recycling in England.
The new legislation aims to clarify what materials can be recycled, standardise recycling practices at home, work, and school, reduce landfill waste, tackle illegal waste disposal, and increase recycling rates.
As part of the Simpler Recycling legislation, delivery timelines have been set:
- 31 March 2025 - Non-households
Businesses (more than ten employees) need to separate dry recyclables and food waste. - 31 March 2026 - Households
Local authorities must collect all dry recyclable materials and separate weekly food waste collections (which can be combined with garden waste) - 31st March 2027 - Households and non-households
Inclusion of plastic film packaging and plastic bags in the plastic waste stream - 31st March 2027 - Micro-businesses
Businesses with fewer than ten employees must recycle all specified waste streams.
From the end of March 2025
Businesses with ten or more employees must separate dry recyclables into specific containers and arrange food collection separately.
What does this mean for your business?
All mixed recycling, including cardboard, plastics, glass, and metal, should be carefully separated and disposed of in accordance with the new guidelines to ensure that each material is recycled appropriately and to minimise environmental impact.
If a business produces more than 5kg of food waste per week, it must arrange a separate collection by licensed waste carriers. This includes biodegradable materials from processing or preparing food, such as inedible parts like bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags, and coffee grounds. The new legislation excludes micro-businesses (businesses with fewer than ten full-time equivalent employees).
According to the official government response, food waste collected must undergo anaerobic digestion treatment. This process generates biofuel, which can be used for energy, while digestate is a nutrient-rich substance produced by anaerobic digestion that can be used as a fertiliser, helping to form a circular economy.
To comply with the new legislation, your business must implement the new waste requirements, including storage and collection processes, by 31 March 2025. Businesses that fail to comply with the new regulations will face fines, enforcement actions, and potentially prosecution.
Compliance ensures that your business will avoid financial penalties, demonstrate corporate responsibility, and improve sustainability credentials. It’s also an opportunity to review your services and save costs.
How can Footprint Recycling help?
- Footprint Recycling will conduct a thorough waste audit, evaluating your current processes, staff awareness, equipment, sustainability, waste streams, volumes, service frequency, bin types, and costs.
- We will ensure compliance with new regulations and identify the best solutions for your business. We will help establish suitable systems to maintain compliance and prevent business disruptions.
- Our team will provide training to ensure employees understand the importance of new practices and know how to separate food waste correctly.
- We will provide food waste collection services and arrange appropriate collection schedules.
- We can assist you in achieving significant cost savings by reducing general waste volume and the associated costs of waste removal and recycling.
- We will generate reports that showcase your sustainability efforts, demonstrating your dedication to reducing environmental impact.
- We will support your efforts to comply with regulations, enhance your company’s brand reputation, particularly among environmentally conscious consumers and investors, and explore partnerships with local charities to donate surplus food.
By embracing these innovations, businesses can comply with regulations and turn food waste management into a competitive advantage.
Get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Footprint Recycling completes the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10KSB Programme
Footprint Recycling is delighted to announce its completion of the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK Programme.
The programme, in conjunction with Oxford Said and Aston Business Schools and a team of cohort facilitators, including growth experts, is designed to empower business entrepreneurs with practical skills, tools, and resources to grow and create jobs within their communities.
Footprint enrolled in the programme last summer and, along with 71 other business owners, was selected to join the February 2024 cohort.
Run over 14 weeks, the programme offers an in-depth curriculum of tutoring and mentorship covering:
Business Education
- Financial management, marketing, and operations.
- Practical, hands-on learning experiences and networking opportunities.
Support Services:
- Tailored business advising and coaching from experienced professionals.
- Access to a network of support services, including legal, financial, and marketing advice.
- Ongoing alumni services for continued growth.
Access to Capital:
- Guidance on navigating the financing landscape and connecting with lenders and investors.
- Education on presenting businesses to financial institutions.
Clare Verity, COO and Co-founder, commented, “We were thrilled to be selected for the programme. We have ambitious growth plans for the future, so the opportunity came at the right time.
We had heard great things about how it helped businesses (up to £10m) successfully scale the next growth phase. The course is highly intensive and requires a lot of focused attention, so Robyn Brook, Co-founder and CEO, took a step back from the day-to-day business to participate.
There are always opportunities to learn from, no matter how long or established we are as a business. It would be naive of us not to constantly strive to develop and build on our existing skill set as business owners. Ultimately, participating in the Goldman Sachs 10KSB Programme is not only beneficial for us but also for our customers and the ongoing value we create for them. “
Hear what Robyn Brook, CEO and Co-founder has to say about the 10KSB Program, its insights, and how it has helped to shape the business.
