Stuck on “how” or “what next”? Theory rarely convinces people—examples do. And, so, our Blog is designed to make sustainability practical, not abstract.
Policies and targets can feel overwhelming. Our blog is designed to break them down into manageable steps—like reducing energy use, cutting waste, or rethinking supply chains—so businesses can actually act rather than stall. It shares real-world case studies – the biggest driver of action.
The story of a family’s journey to rewild their land, told by Simon Barfoot
“It was the late Summer of 1991 when we moved to the area, to take over a disused small holding with stables and land, but no dwelling and in need of renovation, to get up and running to become our dream of owning and running our own horse stud and equestrian centre.
We parked a couple of old caravans on site, one for cooking and living in, with a wood burner stove and the other for the sleeping quarters, cold and damp with a couple of fan heaters which, as we would later learn as autumn turned to winter, were far too small for the task.
The long summer days should have been tranquil and idyllic but instead were a flurry of hustle and bustle as we needed to prepare for winter and set about painting, fencing, clearing and prepping for the imminent arrival of our horses which would be needing clean, dry, warm stabling as well as turnout and exercise areas.
Despite this, it was clear we were the guests of the local wildlife as the hundreds of resident house martins and swifts flitted and chirped above our heads each day, the local foxes checked our chicken runs each night and the geese, swans and starlings passed over in their pairs and squadrons between the levels and wetlands of the area.
And so it was for the next 26 years of running an equestrian facility, developing the property, raising a family and learning the annual cycle of “life on clay” in Somerset. The fabulous soil that every year is concrete hard for five and a half months, impossible to drive on for five and a half months and absolutely perfect for all fencing, tractor, land management, hedge cutting, harrowing, rolling and seeding for two weeks every late spring and late autumn. Just hard enough for tractors to get over, just soft enough to be able to make changes. They say that the name Somerset means Summer-Settlement and I believe it – I don’t think we are supposed to live here in the winter!
A few things coincided that made us rethink our relationship with the land and the wildlife. Over the years we had tried everything to get the most out of the land. We initially used it for grazing horses but the grass did not give the lush, thick green pasture that our neighbours seemed to enjoy. So we let it grow and made hay from it but modern farming machinery meant that our small plot was hardly even worth turning the machines on for. We gave the land to local dairy farmers in exchange for hay but the cows soon cleared the nutrition and just trampled the life out of the plot.
This all changed one day, during one of my many chats with neighbours, which could be over a meal, a cuppa or a good old fashioned lean across the gate between the hedgerows during a chance synchronisation of our dog walks or boundary checking. On this occasion, I bumped into old Edward, the dairy farmer whose land joined to our northerly border, who, at the age of about 85, had recently retired from full time farming and, with the help of his children, was now in semi-retirement. He was walking the fields with his dogs and happened to pass our shared gate at the same moment as me. I remember it well as, after the normal pleasantries and observations about the weather and the state of the clay, I commented how I just could not get my land to do anything good. Edward laughed a big belly laugh, showing the few peggy teeth he had left and told me it is because the land never had been farmland and never wanted to be. He went on to explain that when he was a child the land was actually a copse – a small stand of trees – and had multiple uses to the local area. Children, like Edward, were sent into the copse to gather wood or went there to play, climb and explore.
Also the local hunt, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale, used to hunt in it. In fact there is a famous painting by Cecil Aldin (1870 – 1935) depicting huntsmen, other riders and hounds jumping a hedge with large oaks and a woodland in the background. And naturally it was the home of a huge variety of wildlife living in the safety and protection of the cover and branches afforded by the ancient trees, shrubs, bushes and thorns. There is also the claim of a photo taken in 1936, which is similar to the Aldin picture, called “A view of the copse with the hunt in progress”
So I asked Edward what happened, where did the trees go. Edward went on to explain that in the latter part of the 2nd World War the Army came one day and cut it all down “for the war effort”. I said I realised how that was needed but could not believe there as nothing left to see, such as old mature tree stumps, where had they gone? Edward let out another belly laugh and show of gums and teeth, as he explained how well he remembered the thunder of dynamite as the stumps were blown out of the ground.
This got me interested and I managed to find a 1902 Ordnance Survey map which indeed showed the exact plot we owned as having been completely covered in non-coniferous trees. There we have it – having been woodland since forever, just 80 years ago, we removed every bit of it. So I decided to restore it, give it back to nature, stop trying to make it something it never was and never wanted to be.
I approached the Woodland Trust who visited to consult on what could be done and came back with a recommendation to replant a particular mix of 3,000 UK-indigenous species. Over two weekends in March 2017, a group of about 30 press-ganged neighbours, friends and volunteers came together to plant 3,000 saplings back into the land to begin the rewilding of the old copse.
We had a lot of fun designing the copse with the help of the Woodland Trust and some influence from famous local landmarks. There are 3 straight line paths through it that meet in the middle. The main path runs north-south, following the old 1902 path that was mapped out, and, looking north, in the distance is Alfreds Tower where King Alfred gathered his army on Kingsettle Hill before defeating the Danes. King Alfred lit beacons to send a message to all local militia and able-bodied labourers to go back their families, kiss them good bye, gather their weapons, go to their local Clergyman for a blessing and head up to the muster point. Should the Danes ever return, the workers in this Copse will be able to see the burning beacons.
The other two paths cross in the middle through the lines of the sunrise and sunset of the summer solstice where in the centre is a clearing ringed by 12 sarsen standing stones and – our own Henge.
There are 2 small ponds near the far end and thickly planted area which, when mature, will hide a secret glade. The excavation earth from one of the ponds has been piled up to create a raised mound – our Tor. And more recently we planted 50 willow whips in a large circle to start a willow dome.
The rule of the copse is that humans only enter once or twice a day on horseback or on foot, with any dogs on close control or leads. We have installed some wildlife cameras and frequently discover roe deer, badgers, foxes, barn owls, kestrels, hare, coots, ducks, pheasants and countless butterflies, dragonflies, wild birds, wild bees, and who knows what else.
In April 2023 an old friend of mine, who had become a keen detectorist, asked if he could sweep the land. Down by the gate where I met Edward, where the copse ends and Edward’s pasture land started, he found a coin. This is exactly where the old 1902 map path enters and leaves the copse and likely always was the path through. The coin is a George III half-penny c. 1760-1820 – to this day we wonder who dropped it and why – a hole in a pocket, someone in a hurry, someone climbing a gate and … are there any more nearby?
It is a pleasure and a privilege to able to restore and rewild an old copse and watch nature move back in and enjoy a peaceful, untouched and safe place to establish again. Every year we see the trees grow stronger and taller, the fruit trees (cherry, apple, pear, plum) come into flower and fruit, and the native flora and fauna repopulate the space.
One day, we will be able to harvest the wood as they used to, and as we replant any trees that die or we cut down, have it as a sustainable supply of wood to heat our home. As well as a place for children to play and learn to live and thrive with nature.”
Thank you to Donate IT for their contribution to our educational programme.
We live in a 3 Bedroom Terrace House in Hedge End/Batley area, the house has been considerably extended from its
original construction and also has a garage attached. We wanted to do something for the environment, to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and to combat the effects of climate change on the planet. We also wanted to do something about our energy costs which were rising and affected by world events beyond our control.
We took the first step by having 20 x solar panels installed on our roof which is East/West facing, we also had a 14kW
battery installed to store electricity generated during the day so that we could use it overnight.Our Gas Boiler was about 18 years old and although it was still working perfectly we knew that it would need to be replaced sometime in the near future, possibly within the next 7 years. We had talked about having a Heat Pump, we knew that if we waited until the boiler was broken we might not have time to get a Heat Pump Fitted if it happened in the middle of winter and we would probably end up replacing it with another gas boiler. We knew that we could power our new heat pump using our Solar Panels and Storage Battery. We were told that Heat Pumps could operate at 300 or 400 per cent efficiency and so the cost of electric to run the Heat Pump would be similar if not cheaper than using gas to run a new gas boiler.
Octopus Energy asked if they could give us a quote for a heat pump. They did a survey and provided a quote which
was around £8000, and with the BUS grant we could get our boiler replaced for about £500, so we gave them the
go ahead. As we progressed through the process, Octopus Energy became more concerned about our proposed
installation; they did not like the position for installation of the heat pump or the fact that we had a mix of underfloor
heating and radiators. We convinced them that they should proceed; materials were delivered to site and work
commenced to install the heat pump and HWS cylinder. After 1 day of the installation, the Supervisor for Octopus
Energy came to us and said they were not happy to proceed and stopped the job. All work was stopped and the
materials were collected and taken away. Octopus Energy suggested that we should contact a company called Heat
Geek who would be able to install a heat pump for us.
We contacted Heat Geek and were put in contact with AE Renewables, Southampton. We agreed to have a survey
carried out by Erik Johanssen of AE Renewables, and we received a quote to install a ?kW Vaillant aeroTHERM Heat pump
and 300-litre HWS cylinder. The new Quote from Heat Geek was much larger than the one from Octopus Energy. We
hesitated a while and looked again at our finances I managed to get a Credit Card with 2 years’ interest-free credit up to the
value of £7000. We obtained additional Quotes/Estimates from 3 other Vaillant Approved Contractors. We looked carefully
at all the quotes; all were very similar. Erik from AE Renewables was very knowledgeable and spent some time with us
explaining how it would all work. Erik had achieved Heat Geek Master Installer level, which was the highest Tier of the Heat
Geek installer level of competence. Heat Geek were on a sales drive and offered us a £500 discount if we would proceed
with their quote, and so we placed an order with Heat Geek and AE Renewables would carry out the installation on behalf
of Heat Geek.
Our Expectations regarding the heat pump were mixed; we had done lots of research on the internet. Heat pumps
had mixed reviews; some reviewers stated that heat pumps were rubbish and didn't work and their house was now
cold, and others said that the Heat Pump was the best thing since sliced bread and that their property had never been
so warm and cosy. We knew that heat pumps had improved greatly over the years since their first inception and there was
now a new Refrigerant called R290 which could produce flow temperatures similar to a gas boiler. Erik was confident
that the heat pump would work just fine and we did not have to worry. It was all about the installation, Erik told us, so
long as the system is properly designed and installed, it will work.
We went ahead feeling hopeful that all would be well.
Thank you to AE Renewables for their contribution to our educational programme.
re3 Partnership and Scrapp win Partnership of the Year at Let’s Recycle, Awards for Excellence The re3 partnership – Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council – working in partnership with FCC Environment, has won the Partnership of the Year award at the prestigious Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management, organised by Letsrecycle.com, in recognition of its innovative collaboration with Scrapp.
The award recognises the success of the Scrapp recycling app and web-based search across the re3 area, helping residents recycle more effectively, reduce contamination and improve access to local recycling and waste services. Launched in 2024, the free app introduced a more intuitive, accessible and technology- driven approach to recycling support for residents across Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs.
Using barcode-scanning technology and AI-powered waste search functionality, the app provides instant, localised guidance on how and where to recycle or dispose of household items correctly. The bin notification feature has played a particularly important role, currently helping residents across Reading and Wokingham to never miss their bin days. By providing timely reminders, the app has become an effective new communication channel for reaching residents in a more convenient way.
Designed to make recycling simpler and more accessible for all audiences, the app combines practical tools with interactive features including quizzes and polls to encourage long-term positive behavioural change. The platform is also available in more than 20 languages, helping re3 engage with a broader and more diverse community.
Cllr Helen Purnell, Vice-Chair of re3 Joint Waste Disposal Board, said: “We are incredibly pleased to receive this award and be able to support re3 residents on their journey towards going zero waste. Working with re3 has been a fantastic example of how local authorities and technology providers can collaborate to drive behavioural change through accessible and engaging digital tools. The Scrapp platform was designed as a scalable global solution to help make recycling easier for everyone, and it is now being deployed internationally, including across communities in the United Kingdom and the United States. This demonstrates the growing global potential of the platform and its ability to support waste education, recycling engagement and more sustainable behaviours at scale.”
re3 is a waste management partnership between Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils and FCC Environment. The partnership’s aims are to develop solutions for the management of waste in Central Berkshire and to encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle more of their waste.
Scrapp is a waste data tracking and communication platform, helping businesses, brands, and communities reduce their waste. We make zero-waste simple by giving organisations the digital tools they need to track waste, prove compliance, and save money.
Thank you to Scrapp for their contribution to our educational programme
When organisations review their approach to IT asset disposal, the focus often sits firmly on compliance, security and environmental responsibility.
Data must be destroyed securely, assets documented correctly and equipment processed in line with regulatory requirements.
Those priorities are essential, particularly for organisations managing large IT estates or handling sensitive information. Yet many businesses are now asking a broader question: “If ESG performance, sustainability and social value have become important priorities, why should end-of-life IT assets be viewed solely as a compliance exercise?”
At Blackmore UK, we believe organisations should expect more from their IT asset disposition strategy. That belief led us to develop Level IT, a CSR-led, ESG aligned programme that transforms a proportion of the residual value recovered from decommissioned technology into refurbished laptops for primary school pupils experiencing digital poverty.
Rather than creating an entirely separate initiative, Level IT creates social value through activity organisations already undertake as part of the IT lifecycle.
What Is Level IT?
Level IT builds on a simple principle: redundant technology still holds value, and organisations have an opportunity to direct part of that value towards meaningful, measurable outcomes. When equipment reaches the end of its life, Blackmore UK securely sanitises and processes those assets through established IT asset disposition services, supported by ISO 14001 and
ISO 27001 certified processes and handled in full compliance with GDPR. A proportion of the residual value recovered from those assets is allocated to an impact fund, which
finances professionally refurbished laptops for primary schools. Schools identify need, allocate devices and manage safeguarding, ensuring support reaches pupils who need access to technology while maintaining appropriate controls and privacy protections.
This approach allows organisations to create social impact without introducing additional responsibilities, operational complexity or new CSR budgets. Participationworks alongside existing processes and produces measurable outcomes supported by reporting and governance.
Why Digital Inclusion Matters
Access to technology plays a central role in education. Pupils use digital devices to complete homework, access learning resources, conduct research and build digital skills that support future opportunities.
For many schools, digital poverty creates a clear barrier to learning. Around 20% of children in the UK are estimated to live without reliable access to the devices or connectivity they need, making it harder to complete homework, take part in digital learning and build essential skills. Level IT addresses this challenge by providing schools with refurbished laptops that can be allocated through established safeguarding and support processes. The programme focuses on practical outcomes, helping schools place devices where they are needed most while protecting the privacy of individual pupils. By focusing on primary schools, the programme supports pupils at an important stage in their development, helping remove barriers to learning before they become long-term disadvantages.
Supporting ESG and Circular Economy Goals
Many organisations have set ambitious ESG targets, yet demonstrating outcomes often proves more challenging than setting the goals themselves. Level IT connects social impact directly to an existing business activity. Equipment that has reached the end of its primary lifecycle still generates value through recovery and reuse processes, supporting both circular economy principles and broader sustainability objectives. Instead of treating redundant assets solely as waste, organisations can demonstrate how responsible IT disposal contributes to measurable community benefit.
This approach aligns particularly well with the priorities of sustainability managers, ESG leaders and procurement teams looking for evidence-backed initiatives. Reporting focuses on outcomes, scale and impact, allowing organisations to communicate results with confidence and support internal ESG reporting requirements.
The wider impact is already significant. Each year, Blackmore UK safely collects and diverts more than 106,000 IT assets from landfill. Of all end-user devices processed, 67% are professionally refurbished for reuse rather than recycled, helping to prevent 8,221 tonnes of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere.
A Practical Approach to Secure IT Disposal
For IT and facilities teams, security remains the first priority when managing end-of-life technology – in the modern day, data destruction, chain of custody and auditability cannot be compromised. Blackmore UK has built its reputation on secure IT disposal, data sanitisation and responsible asset management. As an ADISA-certified secure IT asset disposal specialist, Blackmore UK is certified to the UK GDPR Certification Scheme ADISA ICT Asset Recovery Standard 8.0 and holds a DIAL Level 3 rating. ADISA places this certification within AAL6, its highest assurance level, providing independent assurance around secure ICT asset recovery, data protection and GDPR compliance. Level IT extends that foundation by creating additional value from the same secure, governed process. Organisations continue to receive the compliance, governance and audit standards expected from a professional ITAD provider, while gaining the opportunity to generate meaningful social impact through the value recovered from redundant assets.
This creates a practical route for organisations seeking to strengthen ESG performance without increasing workloads or introducing unnecessary risk. Schools oversee allocation and safeguarding, organisations retain control over communications and reporting remains focused on measurable outcomes rather than individual case studies.
The Future of Sustainable IT Disposal
The role of IT asset disposition continues to evolve. Security, compliance and environmental responsibility remain essential, yet organisations increasingly expect more from the services supporting their sustainability strategies. Level IT reflects this shift. By converting a proportion of the value recovered from decommissioned technology into laptops for pupils experiencing digital poverty, organisations gain an opportunity to align secure IT disposal, circular economy principles
and social value within a single framework. The result is a practical, governed programme that helps businesses demonstrate measurable ESG impact while supporting schools and communities across the UK.
Thank you for Blackmore UK for their contribution to our educational programme
The Problem
Urinals that experience heavy usage tend to suffer from the same problems, including odours, flooding, regular blockages and high water consumption. Westfield had tried a whole host of water-saving products, including enzyme sleeves, chemical dosing systems and other waterless urinals, but none had worked satisfactorily.
The Solution
WhiffAway’s dual patented ‘Water- Warrior’ System is a market-leading waterless solution and retro-fits into 98% of existing urinal bowls containing vertical 1.5” or 1.25” waste outlets. The unique non- return valve acts as a closed system, ensuring back odours are not emitted from the drainage system. The patented replacement cartridge contains a bio enzymatic consortium of good bacteria, engineered to help breakdown the formation of uric salts and make it soluble.
The Conclusion
Following a successful trialling period, Westfield Group rolled out the ‘Water- Warrior’ System across Shepherd’s Bush (55 urinals) and Stratford City (62 urinals) Shopping Towns. This has resulted in a significant reduction in urinal maintenance and new build costs, an elimination of urinal odours and estimated annual savings of:
Annual Cost Savings: £38,575
Water Consumption Saving: 18,369m3
(18,369,000L of water per annum)
Carbon Footprint Reduction: 19,324 kg CO2e
1. Elimination of Urinal Odours: No malodours reports.
2. Eradicating water usage: The urinal water usage was completely eradicated whilst improving urinal hygiene and cleanliness.
3. Reduced Blockages: There have been no blockages due to build-up in the urinal common pipework. This has freed up onsite maintenance resources to focus on more critical tasks.
Last year, Microsoft ran an experiment with around 300,000 users of its AI assistant, Copilot.
Within three weeks, 80% of them had stopped using it.
These weren’t people who lacked the tools. They had enterprise licences, IT support, and full access. They just stopped. Because nobody had shown them how to make it actually useful.
That number stuck with me. Not because it surprised me, but because I see the same pattern in smaller businesses every week.
The buying problem
The typical small business AI story goes something like this.
Someone reads an article, watches a video, or gets nudged by a supplier. They sign up for a tool – ChatGPT, Copilot, something else. They have a play for a few days. They get some okay results. Then life gets in the way, the tab stays open, and three months later they’re paying for something nobody’s using.
It’s not a laziness problem. It’s not even a tech problem. It’s a training problem.
AI tools don’t come with instructions that fit your business. They come with generic prompts and demo videos that make everything look effortless. What they don’t come with is someone saying: here’s how to make this work for the way you actually run things.
What actually goes wrong
When I talk to business owners about why AI hasn’t worked for them, three things come up consistently.
What changes when you get the basics right
I work with small business owners and their teams to fix these three things. Not with complicated tech builds or expensive overhauls. Just proper setup, the right training, and a clear method.
When a team knows how to brief AI properly, how to give it the right context, and how to use it as part of their daily work rather than an occasional experiment, the hours start adding up quickly. Reports that used to take an afternoon. First drafts that used to stall. Emails that pile up at the end of the day.
The tools are good enough. They’ve been good enough for a while. The gap isn’t technology. It’s knowledge.
Why this matters right now
If you’re running a business with a small team, the time you lose to repetitive, draining tasks isn’t just frustrating. It’s expensive. And it’s usually invisible, because nobody’s measuring it.
Most businesses I speak to aren’t tracking how long their team spends on things that could be faster. They just know there aren’t enough hours. AI doesn’t add hours to the day. But when it’s set up and used properly, it gives a meaningful chunk of them back.
That’s not a bold claim. It’s just what happens when people stop using these tools randomly and start using them with a bit of structure.
If you’ve bought into AI tools but feel like you’re not getting much from them, the issue almost certainly isn’t the tools.
Kev Galway is the founder of Nova Scale AI, helping UK small businesses save time and work smarter with practical AI. With over 20 years in digital, he works with business owners and their teams to make AI part of how they actually work – not just something they tried once.
Scrapp transforms how the world handles waste by connecting every stakeholder in the disposal chain. Think of them as the Quickbooks for waste – guiding materials from disposal to their highest-value second life.
An NFL stadium that’s also hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches runs 30 to 40 major events a year through eight separate waste haulers. After its waste bill grew 21.5% year over year, Scrapp unified those haulers’ invoice data, cut the venue’s waste bill by 22%, and lifted its recycling rate to 39.7% within a year.
The venue hosts 30 to 40 major events annually, each with 65,000-plus fans, plus roughly 1,000 corporate hospitality events a year. All of that waste moved through eight separate haulers. After a stagnant 2023 to 2024, the numbers started moving in the wrong direction: waste costs grew 21.5% year over year, and the sustainability lead spent hundreds of hours liaising with haulers just to keep up. With eight providers each reporting differently, there was no single view of where costs were coming from or which levers actually moved them.
How do you fix eight haulers reporting eight different ways?
The venue brought in Scrapp’s AI software and white-glove TRUE Certified Customer Support, and Scrapp organized the unstructured hauler data into one place. Scrapp ingested more than 7,000 line items from over 400 invoices across all eight haulers into a single data layer, surfacing charge-type detail that had been completely opaque before. From there, Scrapp took the analysis upstream: examining what the venue was purchasing that eventually became waste, not just how that waste got sorted afterward. That upstream work led to a draft Sustainable Procurement Policy framework, a Reusable Serviceware RFI built around a 10,000-fan pilot, and input into planning for a future venue.
What happened to the diversion rate once the data was unified?
The venue’s landfill diversion rate moved from 25.4% in 2023 to 31.0% in 2024, then to 39.7% in 2025, the first full year Scrapp was engaged, a net gain of 14.3 percentage points. Tons landfilled dropped from 2,240 to 1,689 over that period, while tons diverted rose from 764 to 1,112. This progress helped set the foundation for increased operations with the FIFA World Cup happening in the Summer of 2026.
How much recoverable material is still sitting in the landfill stream?
Based on 100% per-event waste sorts conducted at every major event and documented in structured sustainability recap decks, the team identified 507 to 844 tons a year of recoverable material still ending up in the 2025 landfill stream, representing 30% to 50% of everything the venue sent to landfill that year. Even with real gains already booked, that’s the size of the opportunity still sitting on the table, which is typical for a facility this complex once you can finally see the whole waste stream at once.
What this means for facilities and stadium operators
None of this is unique to one stadium. Any large venue, campus, or property portfolio running multiple haulers tends to have the same blind spot: fewer than 13% of businesses currently report clean waste data, according to industry research, because the invoices, formats, and charge codes never line up cleanly across vendors. It’s the same dynamic behind why waste bills keep climbing across a $100 billion hauling industry. By closing that gap for this venue, Scrapp delivered an 18x return on services, saved the team more than 100 hours of admin time, and cut over $300,000 in costs, on top of the 22% reduction in the overall waste bill.
The venue’s sustainability lead put it simply: “The compiled spreadsheets with all waste-hauling data itemized give us key insights we haven’t had before. Once we have everything on the platform, I won’t have to do waste-diversion calculations, it’ll all be automated. Being able to brainstorm the challenges we’re facing with a TRUE Zero Waste-certified team, that’s been huge.”
Scrapp definitely saved me time. The compiled spreadsheets with all waste-hauling data itemised give us key insights we haven’t had before. Once we have everything on the platform, I won’t have to do waste-diversion calculations — it’ll all be automated. Being able to brainstorm the challenges we’re facing with a TRUE Zero Waste-certified team — that’s been huge.
Said: Sustainability Lead for NFL & FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium
Smarter Services (2025 Waste Management – Large Company winners) is a forward-thinking FM and cleaning provider delivering tailored, planet-conscious services across both public and private sectors. Sustainability is deeply entwined with their strategy—they’ve embraced ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 standards, produce GRI aligned Sustainability Reports, and are targeting Net Zero by 2045.
With 25 years of experience in commercial cleaning, we’ve seen significant change in the last five years. Rising labour costs, growing pressure to demonstrate a sustainable supply chain, and an increasing number of clients operating in buildings that meet BREEAM standards have all raised the bar on what good looks like.
We have our own GRI commitments, and over time we’ve developed five approaches to cleaning and FM that maintain quality, stay commercially viable, and reduce environmental impact. They apply across any building with regular cleaning and maintenance requirements: from offices and retail to healthcare, education, student accommodation, and residential.
If you have a commercial cleaning or FM contract in place for your building or portfolio, consider the following.
Most cleaning schedules were written at a time when it was hard to know how busy a space was without standing in it. Fixed rotas made sense then. Now there is technology to make more informed decisions about when and where cleaning is actually needed.
Occupancy sensors and IoT monitoring track real footfall in communal areas, corridors, washrooms, and shared spaces. Cleaning is triggered by visit counts or actual soiling signals, not the clock. A corridor that’s seen forty people in the morning genuinely needs attention. One that’s had three probably doesn’t.
Demand-led scheduling delivers around 30% in efficiency savings compared with traditional fixed timetables.
Fewer unnecessary cleans mean less water used, fewer chemicals dispensed, and fewer operative journeys made. Standards typically improve in the process, because effort goes where it’s needed rather than being spread evenly across spaces with very different levels of use.
Robotic floor-cleaning units handle high-frequency maintenance in corridors, lobbies, and communal areas at scale. They run during low-occupancy hours (or when a space is closed, if you’re in retail or hospitality) at around 60 to 65 decibels, quiet enough not to cause complaints. Skilled operatives can then focus on quality-critical tasks: sanitation, high-touch surfaces, and the judgment calls robots can’t make.
What’s particularly useful is that these units log their activity, energy consumption, and water use. Real savings can be measured rather than estimated.
Real-life data from three buildings over ten months: 1,015 sessions, 43,027 m² covered.
In sessions where the units wet-cleaned, they used 2.9 litres of water across 194 m² of floor area. A traditional scrubber dryer covering the same ground would use approximately 58 litres under the BiCS industry benchmark. That is a 95% reduction, from measured session data.
Projecting forward at a weekly scrub frequency, that is 2,028 litres saved per year from three ground-floor areas. Roughly 25 baths’ worth, or 15 days of one person’s daily water use.
On energy, the units draw approximately two-thirds less per square metre than a traditional corded vacuum. The estimated annual saving across these three buildings is around 153 kWh, equivalent to about 21 days of one household’s electricity and 27 kg of CO₂ avoided.
The most wasteful form of maintenance is emergency repair. Things left until they fail cost more to fix, generate more disruption, and produce more material waste than the same problem caught early. Reactive maintenance is expensive, financially and environmentally.
Monitoring systems that track usage patterns, equipment condition, and building performance data are incredibly valuable. When you can see an asset trending towards a problem, you address it before it becomes urgent.
Planned maintenance uses fewer materials, fewer contractor journeys, and causes less disruption than the same job done as an emergency.
Some practical examples of what this looks like in operation:
“By implementing a proactive, strategic programme of work, we have been able to reduce the number of reports of leaks, mould, and damp across our properties. We are getting to the issues before they impact our residents.”
Associate Director of Property Services, large London housing association
Buildings maintained properly last longer, consume fewer resources to operate, and create fewer emergencies for the people using them.
The most direct way to reduce chemical use is to reduce unnecessary cleaning visits. That follows from demand-led scheduling: fewer triggers mean fewer dispensing events, less product used, and less packaging consumed.
Beyond scheduling, moving away from traditional cleaning chemicals towards plant-based alternatives removes single-use and virgin plastics from the supply chain entirely. Sachet-based dosing replaces large-format containers, ensures accurate dilution, and reduces both product and packaging waste.
From a 2022 baseline, the proportion of chemical-free products across our operations has grown from 5% to 28%, as evidenced in our 2023/24 sustainability report. We’re not finished.
Combining demand-led scheduling with plant-based products and controlled dosing means fewer chemicals are used without compromising hygiene outcomes.
Multi-supplier FM models generate more waste than most operators realise. Separate contractors for cleaning, maintenance, and periodic services means multiple vehicles travelling to the same building, separate management chains, and so on. The carbon from unnecessary travel and the cost of duplication accumulate quietly.
A single consolidated programme covering all services under a single contract removes duplication and centralises accountability.
At one site, consolidating from a multi-supplier model to a single programme reduced weekly cleaning hours by 80%, with the balance absorbed by robotic and on-site functions already funded.
The common thread
The cleaning and FM industry has historically used volume as a proxy for quality: more hours, more product, more visits. In reality, doing the right work, in the right place, at the right time, produces better outcomes and uses less of everything.
If you’d like to review how your current cleaning or FM contract performs against these approaches, we’re happy to take a look.
Based in Hampshire, UK Caldera is on a mission to make sustainable, zero-carbon heat accessible and affordable for industry. Leveraging patented technology that has captured attention from 12 sectors across 15 countries, they’re tackling one of the climate crisis’s most overlooked challenges: Industrial Heat.
Industrial heat remains one of the most stubborn challenges in the transition to net zero. Sectors such as food production, pharmaceuticals and brewing depend on steam for process heat, typically generated by gas-fired boilers. Globally, industrial heat accounts for roughly 20–25% of carbon emissions, with a large share required at temperatures between 100–200°C.
The difficulty is structural. Manufacturers must decarbonise while maintaining reliability and controlling costs. Electrification appears an obvious route, yet it introduces new constraints. Electric boilers consume power in real time, exposing operators to peak electricity prices and often requiring expensive grid upgrades. In parallel, grid capacity limitations can delay or prevent connection increases altogether. <!–more–>
Caldera, a UK-based clean technology company, has developed a system designed to address these constraints directly. Its Storage Boiler converts renewable electricity, whether on-site or from the grid, into stored heat that can be delivered as steam on demand. This decoupling of electrical charging from heat delivery is key to enabling cost-effective decarbonisation of industrial heat.
The system is built on three core technical innovations. First, a proprietary thermal storage material —a composite of volcanic rock and recycled aluminium delivers high thermal conductivity at low cost, enabling rapid charge and discharge. Second, a vacuum insulated storage vessel minimises heat loss, allowing energy to be stored at high temperatures for extended periods without large, site-built infrastructure.
Third, an integrated heat extraction system converts stored energy into steam efficiently and on demand, interfacing directly with existing industrial steam networks. These innovations are combined into a modular system comprising a Heat Cell, a heat exchanger connected to existing infrastructure, and a power and control system that manages charging. A typical configuration can store around 10 MWh of thermal energy and deliver 4 tonnes per hour of steam, with round-trip efficiency of 94%.
The practical implication is flexibility. Instead of purchasing electricity when steam is needed often during peak periods—operators can charge when electricity is cheaper. The system is designed to optimise against wholesale markets and time-varying grid charges, using spare grid capacity and increasingly frequent low- or zero price periods. Heat is then dispatched as required.
This has three immediate benefits:
1.Lower energy costs: shifting consumption away from peak electricity pricing
2.Reduced infrastructure requirements: avoiding or deferring grid upgrades
3.Greater system flexibility: enabling participation in balancing and capacity markets
The technology is designed for both retrofit and new-build scenarios. In existing facilities, Storage Boilers operate alongside gas boilers, reducing fossil fuel use while preserving redundancy. In new sites, they can be paired with high-temperature heat pumps to enable fully electric heat systems, removing the need for a gas connection.
Caldera’s impact is both environmental and economic, with results now evidenced in
real industrial use cases.
For customers, the system delivers three core outcomes:
1.Deep emissions reduction: enabling partial to full decarbonisation of industrial heat
2.Lower and more stable energy costs: through optimisation of electricity
purchasing
3.Capital efficiency: avoiding or deferring grid upgrades while improving project returns
In one near-term deployment, a customer has already electrified its lower- temperature heat using heat pumps. The remaining demand—high-temperature steam—will be fully decarbonised using a single Caldera Storage Boiler, enabling 100% electrification of site heat demand without requiring oversized grid connections or compromising operational reliability.
A UK food manufacturer combining a 5 MWp solar PV installation with thermal storage achieves a 27% reduction in imported energy, £0.7m annual energy cost savings, and a 4.4-year payback with £2.4m NPV. The storage system enables a larger, commercially viable solar array by allowing excess generation to be converted into process heat, rather than curtailed. The site operates five days per week, with further economic upside available under a seven-day operation.
While some sites integrate on-site renewables, the core value proposition does not depend on them. In most cases, value is driven by flexible grid charging—using low- cost electricity, avoiding peak tariffs, and capturing additional revenue from grid services.
What distinguishes this approach is system design. Industrial heat demand is continuous and variable, while electricity prices are increasingly volatile. Thermal storage bridgesthat mismatch, turning variable-cost electricity into predictable, dispatchable heat.
Decarbonising industrial heat has long been considered “hard to abate”. Alternatives such as hydrogen or carbon capture remain uncertain or location-specific. Thermal storage, by contrast, builds on established engineering and existing infrastructure. Caldera’s Storage Boiler does not change how industry uses heat. It changes how that heat is produced—combining flexibility, cost control and emissions reduction into a scalable pathway to zero-carbon industry.
Flowers are natural, so how bad can buying a bunch of flowers be? It’s a fair question but, despite being a natural product, the global cut flower industry is having a massive environmental and social impact on the planet
Globally, around 35 billion cut flower stems are sold every year, and in the UK the cut flower industry is worth £2.2 billion. Most flowers sold here (over 85%) are grown abroad, typically in countries like Kenya, Ecuador, Ethiopia and Columbia. They are cold-chain, air-freighted to The Netherlands before arriving by refrigerated truck to the UK. Growing cut flowers can have a huge carbon footprint. For comparison, an imported banana to the UK has a carbon footprint of 80g/CO2e whereas for a single rose stem it’s more likely to be around 1kg/CO2e.
Flowers, such as roses, are grown in high altitude, tropical areas, providing them with the perfect combination of year-round sunshine alongside cool night-time temperatures. The scale of these farms can be vast, with farms the size of Southampton not uncommon, and the largest farms equivalent to 900 football pitches. Farms are often situated in areas of high biodiversity value, in ecologically sensitive and drought prone regions. The water consumption for flower farms is enormous and there are well-documented examples, such as Lake Naivasha in Kenya, where water extraction for flower farms drastically depleted the water to surrounding communities and that water was severely polluted from the run-off of artificial fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides.
Less than 1% of global flower farms are Fair Trade certified, so the vast majority may operate with poor worker conditions, insufficient health and safety practices, and little or no regulation when it comes to chemical use. The pesticides routinely used can be those that are banned in the UK, and there is no upper limit set to the amount of pesticide residue permitted on flowers coming into this country. In France, 2022, a landmark case acknowledged the link of a child’s death to in utero pesticide exposure from her mother’s occupation as a florist. The health impacts of daily pesticide exposure for flower farm workers and the subsequent neurological impairment of their children is starting to become known.
MeadowSweet Posies is a multi-award winning sustainable online florist. Established in 2016, it’s the first ever flower subscription service to use exclusively British flowers and foliage throughout the year. A study by Lancaster University found that locally grown flowers have been found to have at least a 90% lower carbon footprint than air-freighted imported blooms, with British outdoor grown flowers to be 95% lower. In addition, locally grown flowers offer a gentle reminder of what is going on outside, celebrating the seasons and supporting local growers that grow seasonally using nature-friendly practices.
To date, MeadowSweet Posies has sent over 4000 bouquets of flowers to their eco-conscious customers. During the main growing season from March-October, the majority of flowers we use in our posies are outdoor grown and sent direct from the farm to our customers, minimising time in transit, and sent in plastic-free, eco-friendly packaging, using Royal Mail, the greenest parcel delivery service in the UK. In the winter months, we tend to use a higher proportion of flowers grown under glass, and we work with family farms that have incorporated a portfolio of environmental measures, such as waste agricultural biomass boilers for heating, rainwater re-harvesting for watering, solar for electricity, hedgerows and seed planting for birds and pollinators.
The approximate carbon footprint of an imported bouquet of 11 stems was calculated to be over 30kgCO2 from the Lancaster study, equivalent to a flight from London to Birmingham. Using the 90% lower carbon footprint as a conservative estimate, MeadowSweet Posies can demonstrate a saving of 108,000kg CO2 from its customers choosing to buy British grown flowers over imported flowers.
As a specific example, to reward its staff, a local financial planner company sent MeadowSweet posies to 25 staff members to thank them for their excellent work. Their decision to use MeadowSweet Posies aligned with their sustainability values and their desire to support a local women-founded business. Using the same calculation as previously, it can be shown that their purchasing decision reduced the associated carbon emissions of this purchase by 675kg/CO2 (approximately the equivalent emissions of a return flight from London to New York). In addition, they found the gesture was greatly appreciated by their staff who felt rewarded and valued and it helped to reinforce the positive working culture that the company has cultivated.
When it comes to assessing the environmental impact of an organisation, it is important to look beyond Scope 1 aspects, to the broader impacts of decision-makers. Purchasing decisions are an important consideration for an organisation’s Scope 3 impacts and to ensure there is alignment in the decisions made by employees alongside the values the organisation wishes to be represent.
Driving Value Through Sustainability
Silverlake Automotive Recycling has long been recognised as a forward-thinking leader in the vehicle recycling industry, but in recent years, the company has taken significant strides to embed sustainability at the heart of its operations. These efforts have not only reduced environmental impact, but have also delivered tangible business benefits by cutting costs, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening the company’s brand in an increasingly sustainability-conscious market.
At the core of Silverlake’s approach is a commitment to maximising resource recovery. By investing in advanced dismantling techniques and innovative recycling technologies, the company has significantly increased the proportion of each vehicle that can be reused or repurposed. This reduces waste sent to landfill while simultaneously creating new revenue streams from recovered parts and materials. Every component that is salvaged and resold represents both an environmental win and a financial gain, lowering disposal costs and boosting margins. Energy efficiency has also played a key role in cost reduction. Silverlake has implemented a range of initiatives across its sites, including energy-efficient lighting, optimised machinery usage, and the integration of renewable energy sources where possible. These measures have led to a noticeable decrease in energy consumption and utility costs. In an industry where margins can be tight and energy usage is significant, these savings provide a meaningful competitive advantage.
Operational efficiency has been further enhanced through digital transformation. By adopting smarter inventory management systems and streamlining logistics, Silverlake has improved the speed and accuracy of parts identification, storage, and distribution. This reduces handling time, minimises errors, and ensures that valuable components are brought to market more quickly.
The result is a more agile operation that can respond faster to customer demand while reducing unnecessary operational waste. Water management and pollution prevention initiatives have also contributed to efficiency gains. By implementing closed-loop systems and improving fluid recovery processes, Silverlake has reduced water usage and minimised the risk of environmental contamination. These measures not only support compliance with environmental regulations but also reduce the costs associated with water consumption and waste treatment.
Beyond operational improvements, Silverlake’s sustainability efforts have had a powerful impact
on its brand. Customers, partners, and insurers are increasingly prioritising environmentally responsible suppliers, and Silverlake’s proactive approach positions it as a trusted and progressive partner. By clearly demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, the company has strengthened relationships with key stakeholders and opened up new business opportunities. Transparency has been central to this brand-building effort. Silverlake actively communicates its
sustainability achievements, from recycling rates to carbon reduction initiatives, helping customers understand the positive impact of choosing recycled automotive parts. This not only
builds trust but also supports the broader shift towards a circular economy within the automotive
sector.
Employee engagement has been another important factor. By fostering a culture where sustainability is everyone’s responsibility, Silverlake has empowered its workforce to identify efficiencies and contribute ideas for continuous improvement. This has led to a more motivated team and a steady stream of incremental innovations that drive both environmental and business performance.
Ultimately, Silverlake Automotive Recycling demonstrates that sustainability is not just a moral imperative; it is a strategic advantage. By reducing costs, enhancing efficiency, and strengthening its reputation, the company has shown how environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with commercial success. As the industry continues to evolve, Silverlake’s approach provides a compelling model for how businesses can thrive by putting sustainability at the centre of their operations.
As businesses work towards ambitious sustainability targets, transport has emerged as one of the most immediate and impactful areas for change. Fleet emissions, fuel costs and environmental responsibility are no longer “nice to have” considerations; they are central to long-term business viability. At Snows Toyota and Lexus, we support organisations by turning those challenges into practical, lower-emission mobility solutions that reduce running costs and enable smarter, longer-term transport planning.
Practical Fleet Solutions for Local Businesses Toyota has long been recognised as a pioneer in low and zero emission mobility, and today offers one of the widest electrified model ranges available. This includes self-charging hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully battery electric vehicles, allowing businesses to adopt a solution that fits their operational needs while still delivering measurable environmental benefits. A recent example of this can be seen in our work with the University of Portsmouth, where Snows Toyota supplied a fully electric vehicle fleet to support the University’s sustainability and carbon reduction goals. By transitioning to 100% electric vehicles, the University has: * Eliminated tailpipe emissions from its fleet * Reduced exposure to fluctuating fuel costs * Improved air quality across campus and surrounding areas * Demonstrated leadership in sustainable transport to students, staff and the wider community. The fleet now supports daily operational requirements while aligning transport usage with the University’s wider environmental strategy. This project highlights how electric vehicles are not a future concept, but a viable, cost-effective solution that is already delivering positive impact for organisations today. (Full case study available here: Snows Toyota parents with University of Portsmouth | Snows Lexus: Electrification Without Compromise Alongside Toyota, Lexus is redefining what sustainable mobility looks like for premium and executive users. Lexus has committed fully to an electrified lineup, combining zero emission driving capability with the comfort, refinement and reliability the brand is known for. The Lexus approach to sustainability extends well beyond the vehicle itself, guided by a 360 degree approach that looks at environmental impact across the entire lifecycle. Key elements of this approach include:
• A focused electrified model range, building on Lexus’s long-standing leadership in luxury hybrid technology.
• The use of sustainable and renewable materials, such as bamboo, kenaf and recycled plastics, within vehicle design and interiors
• A lifecycle approach that reduces emissions and waste from production through to end-of-life recycling, including second-life battery programmes.
For businesses, this translates into electric vehicles that support sustainability goals while delivering long-term value through lower running costs, reduced maintenance and responsible lifecycle management. Supporting Businesses at Every Stage of the Journey. We understand that every organisation is at a different stage of its sustainability journey. Whether you are taking your first steps towards electrification or transitioning an entire fleet, our expert teams at Snows Toyota and Lexus provide guidance on: * Choosing the right electrified vehicles for operational needs * Understanding real-world running costs and savings * Charging infrastructure considerations * Long-term sustainability and fleet planning.
Join Us at The Big Sustainability Expo
As exhibitors at The Big Sustainability Expo & Awards at the Utilita Bowl, we are proud to support organisations across the region in making meaningful, measurable progress towards their environmental goals. Visitors to our stand will be able to explore a wide range of Toyota and Lexus vehicles and speak directly with our experienced fleet team about tailored solutions for their business fleet. If your business is considering electrifying its fleet or reviewing its transport strategy, we invite you to speak with our team at the Expo or reach out to the Snows Toyota Corporate and Lexus Corporate teams to start the conversation today.
There was a time, not that long ago, when simply being able to say “we’re sustainable” gave you a bit of an edge. You could stick it on your homepage, maybe add a leafy icon or two, and people would nod along approvingly. Many would grab their wallet.
That time has passed.
Now it’s pretty much always expected, often scrutinised, and occasionally met with a scornfully raised eyebrow. Which is fair enough, given how many times we’ve all been told something is “eco-friendly” without any real explanation of what that actually means, or proof that it’s true.
So if sustainability is no longer a differentiator in its own right, the question becomes “how do you use it to build a competitive edge, rather than just blending into the ever-growing sea of green claims with varying degrees of plausibility?”
In my experience, it comes down to a handful of things that are surprisingly easy to get wrong.
1. If You’re Going to Say It, Be Ready to Provide Evidence
We’re now operating in a market where people are, quite rightly, a bit suspicious. There’s been enough vague language, sweeping claims, and selective storytelling to make even genuinely good work look questionable if it’s not backed up properly. So the bar is higher.
That doesn’t mean every sentence needs a footnote and a spreadsheet attached, but it does mean being specific about what you’ve done and how you’ve done it.
“We’ve reduced our environmental impact” could mean almost anything. “We cut energy use by 32% over 12 months by switching to X and Y” is far more useful and far more believable. There’s also something to be said for acknowledging where you’re not there yet. It sounds counterintuitive, but brands that are open about what they’re still figuring out often come across as more trustworthy than the ones presenting a perfectly polished version of reality. No one credible thinks this stuff is easy. Pretending it is doesn’t do you any favours.
2. Help People Picture the Impact Without Requiring a PhD
Numbers on their own are not your friend here. “10,000 tonnes of CO₂ saved” might be impressive, but it’s also fairly meaningless unless you already have a mental reference point for what that looks like. Most people don’t. This is where equivalents come in, and when they’re done well, they’re incredibly effective.
A nice example is Trainline, which shows the carbon saved from rail journeys in terms people can actually picture, like not using your washing machine for a couple of years. You don’t need to understand carbon accounting to grasp that. It’s immediate. It’s relatable. It sticks. The key is choosing comparisons your audience already understands, not ones that require another layer of explanation. If someone has to think too hard about your analogy, you’ve slightly defeated the point. The mistake is leading with impact in a way that assumes the audience will join the dots themselves. Most won’t. Not because they don’t care, but because they’re busy and you haven’t made it easy. Your job is to do that translation for them.
3. Pick Your Proof Carefully
One of the quickest ways to weaken your brand is to try to prove your sustainability credentials with everything available to you. Partnerships, certifications, memberships, schemes, internal programme logos…I’ve seen websites that look like the sponsor wall at a conference, and I say that with love and frustration in equal measure. The problem is, not all of those signals carry weight with your audience. The question I
always ask clients is: which of these would your customer actually recognise, understand, and trust? Because those are the only ones that really matter. If you’re selling into corporates, things like science-based targets or recognised ESG frameworks will land far better than a generic “green business” badge you got because you paid the membership fees. If you’re consumer-facing, something like B Corp might do a lot more heavy lifting because people have at least heard of it, even if they couldn’t recite the criteria over dinner. This isn’t about collecting credentials; it’s about choosing the ones that signal something meaningful to the people you want to influence. Otherwise, you’re just decorating your marketing with things that make you feel good internally but don’t actually signify anything meaningful externally.
4. Being Good Isn’t Enough. You Still Have to Make It Make Sense
There’s a persistent belief in sustainability circles that if you’re doing the right thing, people will naturally care. That the work will speak for itself. That being ethical, responsible, and impactful should be enough to earn attention, support, and, ultimately, cold hard cash. It’s a nice idea. It’s also not how most decisions get made. Doing good work is essential, obviously. That’s the whole point. But on its own, it doesn’t
guarantee that anyone will notice, understand, or back it. Because whether we like it or not, your audience is always asking a version of the same question:
“What’s in it for me?”
That doesn’t make them selfish. It makes them human.
Sometimes the answer is straightforward. If your solution saves money, improves performance, reduces risk, or helps someone hit a target they’re being measured against, say that. Clearly and early on. Sometimes it’s a softer payoff. It might make them look better, help them attract and retain talent, or give them a story they’re proud to tell. And sometimes, yes, it’s simply that they get to feel like they’re doing the right thing without having to overhaul their entire world. There’s nothing wrong with that, despite how often people try to pretend otherwise.
The problem is assuming that stating what a wonderful thing you’re doing will be enough to move people from polite interest to actual action. Because it won’t. If you’re selling into organisations, particularly larger ones, sustainability on its own might get you a conversation. It might get you a meeting. But it won’t always get you budget. That’s because the person you ultimately need to convince is often looking at things through a different lens. And the same is true, in a slightly less formal way, for most consumers as well.
So alongside “this is better for the planet,” you also need to be able to say:
● This will save you money
● This will do a better job
● This will reduce your risk
● This will make your life easier
None of that undermines the environmental impact. It makes it easier to adopt. In a B2B context, you’re selling to CFOs as well as CSOs. In a consumer context, you’re dealing with a whole mix of motivations, rational and emotional, all competing for attention. If you can make your sustainability proposition stack up commercially as well as ethically, you move people from “that’s nice” to “we should get on and do that.”
And, slightly controversially, if you can’t… it probably won’t.
5. Consistency Is Less Glamorous Than Campaigns, But Far More Useful
There’s a tendency to treat sustainability comms as something that lives in a campaign or a report. You do a big push, everyone feels good about it, and then it slinks off into the sunset until next year. In reality, your brand is being built (or eroded) in all the small, everyday places.
Your marketing materials.
Your customer care emails.
The way your teams talk about what you do.
If your sustainability story only shows up occasionally, it’s very hard for people to get a clear sense of what you stand for. If it shows up consistently, in a way that makes sense and feels coherent, it becomes part of how you’re understood. It’s not particularly glamorous work, but it’s where a lot of the heavy lifting happens.
Final Thought
Touting sustainability as a general concept won’t give you a competitive edge anymore. Plenty of organisations can say they’re doing the right thing in one way or another. What makes the difference is how clearly you can show it, how relevant you can make it, and how confident you are in talking about it without tying yourself in knots. The organisations that get this right tend to be the ones that are:
-Selective about how they prove what they’re doing
-Very clear about why it matters to their audience
-Comfortable backing up what they say and not afraid to connect impact with income
Because in the end, the goal isn’t just to be sustainable. It’s to build something strong enough, visible enough, and well-supported enough to make that sustainability actually count.
CONGRATULATIONS to Tops Day Nurseries, who are proud to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, recognising its continued commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation across its nurseries.
This marks the second time Tops has received this honour, having previously been awarded in 2022, further reinforcing its position as a leader in sustainable childcare. With over 30 nurseries across the South and Southwest, Tops Day Nurseries has embedded sustainability into every aspect of its operations. From reducing waste and energy consumption to introducing innovative solutions such as installing SNOAP across all settings, a plastic-free handwashing system, and adopting sustainable food practices, including the introduction of plant-based menus, the organisation continues to set new standards within the early years sector.
Initiatives such as early toilet training and the use of reusable nappies also contribute to reducing nappy waste, supporting both environmental goals and child development. Through early potty teaching, using reusable nappies and potty pants, Tops supports children once they can sit independently, contributing to an average reduction of around eight months in the
age children become toilet trained. Sandy Kemish, Data and Sustainability Manager, said: “Winning the King’s Award for
Sustainable Development is a powerful recognition that sustainability in early years education truly matters. At Tops Day Nurseries, we believe small, consistent actions, whether reducing waste, growing food, or teaching children about the world around them, create meaningful change. This award celebrates the collective impact of those actions across all our nurseries.
Every day, our teams find practical, creative ways to make sustainability part of children’s learning and daily routines. We’re proud that our commitment to doing the right thing, for children, families, and the planet, has been recognised at the highest level, but it also highlights the need for greater support across the early years sector, so that sustainable, high-quality childcare can thrive for every child and community”.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are among the UK’s most prestigious business awards, celebrating outstanding achievement in innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility. Tops Day Nurseries continues to lead the way in sustainable early years education, demonstrating how businesses can successfully balance high-quality childcare with environmental responsibility.
CJS Portsmouth proudly partners with Northwood Hygiene to promote sustainability in everyday practices. By choosing these solutions, businesses can contribute significantly to a greener future while maintaining high-quality service. At Northwood Hygiene, sustainability is built into the way products are designed, manufactured and recovered, helping facilities managers and sustainability professionals make measurable progress towards their environmental goals through practical, real-world solutions.
Circular Solutions
Northwood’s recycled tissue manufacturing model is built around circularity, resource efficiency and UK production. By integrating recycling, papermaking and converting operations within the UK, Northwood is able to keep valuable fibres in use for longer, reducing reliance on virgin raw materials while supporting a more resilient domestic supply chain.
Circularity is central to this approach. Rather than viewing paper hygiene products as waste, Northwood focuses on extending fibre life and recovering materials wherever possible. This thinking sits behind Green Loop™, Northwood’s closed-loop recycling scheme designed specifically for washroom waste. Traditionally, used paper hand towels would be disposed of via landfill or incineration, despite fibres still retaining recyclable value. Through Green Loop, used towels are collected, returned to Northwood and reprocessed into new paper hygiene products, keeping fibres within the value chain for longer.
Importantly, Green Loop has been designed to fit seamlessly into existing washroom operations, allowing organisations to adopt circular economy principles without compromising hygiene or user experience. Internal ISO-aligned lifecycle assessment data shows that recycling paper hand towels through Green Loop can reduce carbon impact by 38%compared with traditional disposal routes, giving businesses measurable environmental benefits alongside improved waste management.
Supporting Scope 3 Carbon Reductions
Alongside circularity, transparency is becoming increasingly important for sustainability professionals and procurement teams. Organisations are now expected to demonstrate credible environmental progress, particularly in relation to Scope 3 emissions and ESG reporting. To support this, Northwood has implemented ISO 14067 verified Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) across its portfolio, providing independently verified data to help customers make informed purchasing decisions.
This level of visibility enables facilities and sustainability teams to better understand the environmental impact of the products they use every day. It also reflects Northwood’s ongoing investment in operational efficiency and carbon reduction. For example, sustainability improvements implemented across the business reduced the carbon footprint of the Raphael VersaTwin 2-ply recycled tissue by 9% over the last 12 months alone.
Controlling Consumption
The Raphael washroom system itself demonstrates how sustainable innovation can directly influence consumption behaviour and operational efficiency. Designed to minimise unnecessary usage while maintaining hygiene and performance, Raphael combines smart dispensing technology with recycled paper solutions to reduce waste at source. Features such as single-sheet dispensing in the Mechanical Roll Towel dispenser and controlled delivery and infinity feature in the VersaTwin Toilet Tissue systems help reduce overconsumption and waste, extend product life and lower refill frequency, supporting both environmental and operational efficiencies. By controlling consumption, reducing waste and supporting lower-carbon product choices, Raphael provides facilities managers with a practical sustainability solution that delivers measurable results in everyday washroom environments.
For Northwood, sustainability is not simply about reducing impact in manufacturing. It is about helping customers solve increasingly complex environmental challenges through circular thinking, verified data and practical innovation that works in the real world
The University of Southampton Science Park is collaborating with Absolar and Technology Within on an ingenious initiative to enhance the resilience and sustainability of mission-critical infrastructure.
The project will see a conventional diesel-run backup power generator replaced with a significantly more sustainable solution that cleverly integrates on-site solar generation, battery storage and grid connectivity. By integrating multiple energy sources, this will deliver a lower-carbon approach to supporting critical infrastructure, removing dependency on fossil fuels for the site-wide back-up system and avoiding generator start-up during short-term power interruptions, as Absolar’s Nic Cory explains.
The work will take place at Gamma House in the centre of the Science Park site and will benefit its whole community of over one thousand people working at the Park who depend upon smooth-running, resilient IT systems. The new back-up power system is expected to be fully operational this month.
Back-up power is essential for all business continuity, yet projects of this nature remain relatively uncommon due to their technical complexity and the investment required to deliver effective systems that meet both operational requirements and wider ESG objectives.
This complex project has only been made possible through deep collaborative work with experts in renewables, data science, IT and physical infrastructure.
Stuart Perry, Operations Director at Southampton Science Park, said: “This is another practical example of how we are investing in forward-thinking, creative solutions to move away from fossil fuels. Once complete, our new back-up power system will further support operational resilience for our resident community of science and technology businesses and in a more sustainable way.”
Phil Wu, Founder and CEO of Absolar, said: “We have been working with Southampton Science Park to plan and implement effective renewable energy solutions across the site for several years and we are proud to continue this work through this innovative project. Integrated battery-backed resilience systems are uncommon in commercial sites, yet they offer an attractive flexible and lower-carbon approach. We applaud Southampton Science Park for taking the lead on this and helping to demonstrate what can be achieved.”
Jon Seal, Managing Director, technologywithin said: “Through twiindata, we support Southampton Science Park in managing and maintaining high-performance connectivity for its residents who depend on being online at all times. However, great connectivity needs resilient infrastructure underpinning it and that’s why a project like this one matters. It will strengthen the foundations upon which reliable, high-performance connectivity depends on.”
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When businesses see how others have reduced costs, improved efficiency, or strengthened their brand through sustainable practices, it builds confidence to follow suit. It saves time and reduces trial-and-error. Instead of every company reinventing the wheel, our blog aims to act as a knowledge hub. Lessons learned, mistakes, and proven strategies are shared openly, helping others move faster and avoid costly missteps. It keeps businesses up to date. Sustainability is constantly evolving—new regulations, technologies, and expectations emerge quickly. The blog is designed to help organisations stay informed without needing to track everything themselves. It links sustainability to business value Done well, content can show how sustainability practices aren’t just ethical—they’re financially smart. Lower energy bills, reduced waste costs, stronger reputation, and better resilience all come into play. It builds a community and culture of change The blog creates a shared space where businesses, partners, and stakeholders can engage, learn, and contribute. That sense of momentum is often what turns isolated efforts into broader impact. In short, our Sustainability Blog turns sustainability from a buzzword into a toolkit—full of ideas, examples, and evidence that help businesses move from intention to implementation.
