The Co-operative
Helping The Co-operative Group with their waste prevention goals
In October 2008, the Cooperative Group commissioned us to assist with its target of reducing the amount of commercially generated waste being sent to landfill.
Our Consultancy Team undertook a waste audit in five of the Group’s Nottingham stores, calculating the amount of dry recyclable materials that could be diverted from the waste stream. This revealed the potential to generate significant financial and environmental benefits by following a course of positive action.
Bespoke measurement metrics were also developed, which enabled the Group’s performance to be benchmarked and compared with similar format retailers.
- Establishing practical means by which material contamination could be reduced to yield an increase in material value of 20%
- Revealing the significant financial benefits available from increased recycling revenue
- Delivering a comprehensive report with specific recommendations for achieving improved environmental performance with significant financial benefits
- Assessing existing store waste material arisings and recovery levels
- Identifying existing barriers to recycling and detailing solutions to remove them
- Undertaking a cost benefit analysis of increasing waste materials recovery and diversion levels
- Developing bespoke measurement metrics to enable ongoing Group performance assessments in comparison with similar format retailers
Working with Valpak Consulting on this project helped us understand the key issues involved in managing and recycling our waste. The project complemented our environmental policies and helped us identify how to increase recycling at back of store and achieve cost savings.