International Women’s Day - Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress
Robyn Brook and Clare Verity are the founders of Footprint Recycling. Here, they share their experience as women in waste and the critical role women play in the industry.
Clare:
“Prior to establishing Footprint Recycling, I was employed in the waste management sector, where I found my job to be personally fulfilling and environmentally rewarding. During my pregnancy with my second child, I was motivated to utilise my expertise and passion for the industry to start my own business. That’s when my business partner, Robyn, and I founded Footprint Recycling 16 years ago.
“As a female-owned business in a male-dominated industry, we understand the importance of supporting and empowering our younger colleagues as they develop their careers. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” serves as a reminder to provide equal opportunities for education, training, and professional development to women in waste. Through our efforts, we aim to promote gender equality and help women achieve their full potential in the industry and make positive changes.”
Robyn:
“Over the years, it’s been great to see more women join the waste and recycling industry and I am proud of the fact that Footprint was founded by women and women make up many of the key roles within our organisation. It’s a testament to the progress made since we began our journey. International Women’s Day is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate this, and the valuable contributions women are making across all areas of the waste industry.
“At Footprint, one of our core values is ‘respect’. We live by this. It is the bedrock of everything we do, and we feel strongly that celebrating gender diversity is important. It fosters a more inclusive workplace and brings a variety of perspectives and experiences to the table, promoting better problem-solving, decision-making, and, ultimately, success for our business.
“I am inspired by our team and of what Clare and I have accomplished for women and diversity in waste.”
Women’s roles are essential to our industry’s success, especially with the growing shift towards viewing waste as a resource. The industry is moving away from traditional landfill practices and towards waste prevention and a circular economy. Women have seen the industry’s huge potential, and through their assertiveness and progressive attitude, women can help shape the industry’s future towards a more efficient and sustainable future.
If you’d like to work with Footprint Recycling, get in touch for an informal chat.
Responding to the needs of our customers
We recently had a conversation with one of our customers and gained valuable insights about the benefits of working with Footprint Recycling. It was such an inspiring story we shared it across our channels and we received a comment about the importance of reviewing where the waste was being processed and ensuring it was being processed effectively. This is absolutely right.
All businesses need to consider where their waste is processed as part of their waste journey as when it comes to reducing waste and promoting sustainability, businesses have a significant role to play.
At Footprint, we believe that a comprehensive waste journey analysis is the first step towards achieving this goal. We work closely with our customers to assess their waste production and identify areas where they can reduce, recycle, reuse, and repurpose waste.
We then assist them in implementing these changes while ensuring that they comply with all legal requirements. We understand that monitoring and reporting are critical components of any waste management process. That's why we provide our customers with regular updates on their waste journey process, including data on waste generation, recycling rates, disposal methods and outcomes. This information helps them to evaluate their progress and identify areas for further improvement.
We believe that a zero-waste approach is the way forward, and we encourage our customers to adopt this mindset. By eliminating waste from their production processes and finding innovative ways to repurpose and reuse materials, businesses can significantly reduce their environmental impact while saving money.
In conclusion, our comprehensive waste reduction process is designed to guide businesses towards sustainability and zero-waste practices. We believe that by working together, we can make a real difference and build a better future for generations to come.
PANTHER PARTNERS WITH FOOTPRINT RECYCLING TO TAKE SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Leading two-person white glove delivery specialist Panther Group has joined forces with total waste management firm Footprint Recycling to help them reduce their carbon footprint, taking them a step closer to achieving their Net Zero pledge.
In recent years, as a part of its ESG pledge, Panther has vastly increased its commitment to improving its environmental impact by keeping its waste unpolluted and to a minimum by following best practices. They have increased recycling measures, conserved energy more efficiently, and used environmentally friendly technologies.
To take its commitment one step further, the business has even set a target to implement a zero-waste culture throughout every aspect of its operations.
Having provided a comprehensive range of sustainable waste and recycling solutions to a wide range of sectors since 2008, Footprint Recycling is passionate about helping businesses manage their waste, reduce their carbon footprints and achieve their sustainability goals.
Since partnering with recycling specialist Footprint, Panther has greatly improved their recycling and environmental credentials. To date this year alone, Panther has recycled more than 453 tonnes of cardboard, plastic, and expanded polystyrene, 226 tonnes of general waste, 144 tonnes of TVs, and over 50,000 old mattresses collected and recycled on behalf of its customers and 25,000 tonnes of metal from washing machine bodies also recycled. The company’s carbon footprint by installing energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the depots has also improved by 60%.
And ever mindful of the need to provide a ‘green’ ethical service, Panther provides a furniture recycling service and closely adheres to the WEEE Directive.
Panther can now boast that 80 percent of its waste is recycled – with an aim to increase that figure to 90 percent over the next 12 months.
As part of its long-term sustainable energy programme the company is collaborating with Ev3power and is considering solar, wind turbine, and hydrogen options to power its operations and are also considering electric and hydrogen options for its fleet.
In recent weeks Panther has conducted a number of electric vehicle trials and now boasts a forklift fleet that is 60 percent electric.
Guy Burgess, Logistics Director commented: “With combatting climate change currently at the forefront of the global agenda, we have chosen to partner with Footprint Recycling to further improve our environmental impact and make a positive difference to our ecosystem.
“As a business, we are already making huge strides in making long-term and sustainable changes by pushing sustainability in every aspect of the business. Ingraining environmental consciousness within the company’s culture and Footprint Recycling will be a fundamental driver in helping us to facilitate this.
“No longer is it acceptable for companies to provide a 'sustainability statement' as consumers are far savvier and more discerning about how they spend their money and what businesses they’re willing to support and trade with.
“More than that though it’s vital that as a growing business we respond to the current climate crisis and act accordingly. The government has set a pledge for the UK to achieve Net Zero status by 2050, and as a company that strives for sustainability, we want to join the fight against global warming by driving down our environmental impact over the coming years.”
Robyn Brook, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Footprint Recycling commented: “Our business is built on a foundation of helping our customers embrace the circular economy and improve their sustainability with a focus on achieving zero waste to landfill through recycling and reducing emissions.
“With pressure on businesses, like Panther, to do more to minimise their environmental impacts, our aim is not only to manage waste but to challenge the industry norms by developing processes bespoke to each client and introducing new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
“We’ve been working with Panther for several years, over which we have developed a fantastic relationship that allows us to continually strive and look at new ways to help them improve their environmental credentials and assist with their sustainability journey.”
The beginning of a new era for Footprint Recycling
It's the beginning of a new era for Footprint Waste Management as we launch our new brand identity, company positioning, and, soon, a new website.
Our new brand represents our continued commitment and investment in our company. We have seen significant growth over the past few years, a growing team and new major contract wins. We've also expanded our service offering, which now includes Carbon Neutral, complementing our existing offering of complete waste management and recycling.
As we develop and expand, everything we do still revolves around our experiences and customers. The new brand represents our simple company ethos of providing services to promote a circular economy - Waste Management - Recycling - Carbon Neutral.
Robyn Brook, Director, said: "Our business has gone from strength to strength but we couldn’t have done it without our fantastic customers and staff. I thank you all for believing in us and I thank our wonderful team who make every day possible. Clare and I are inspired (and regularly saved!) by you all.
"Our waste management vision is simple, to be the best and never give up. We started Footprint because we believed we could do better, be faster, more creative, find a better solution, make our clients more money, save them money, be useful, be supportive, be honest, think outside the box, add value to their business by understanding their business, offer the best waste solution and results for sustainability, find the ‘how can’.
"We review, we learn, we set targets, we train, we drive, we track, we deliver results then we review and re-set the goal posts.
"We want to grow our business and our network and we want to learn more. We have many customers who we’ve helped to reach 97%-98% recyclability with as much of that as possible going to re-use.
The new brand represents where we stand as a company today; it's a simple formula, but we feel it's the perfect fit for us, it unifies our services, and it was necessary to reflect and establish ourselves now and in the future."
If you'd like to chat to us about your current waste management, recycling, or reducing your carbon emissions, give us a call on 01484 660770 or drop us an email, and we will give you a call.