Throughout 2010 and as part of our ‘Customers First’ programme, we worked closely with our customers and suppliers to ensure that, together, we have made a difference in key areas. Our ‘Waste Manifesto 2’ aims to guide the waste management industry forward, giving our view on challenging topics and driving key issues to improve sustainability.
Purchase and supply certification
Our procurement department plays an important role in how we run our business. It’s not just about purchase and supply; at Veolia, we have a wider sustainability focus on everything we do. This year, we achieved notable success by being the first organisation in our industry, in the world, to achieve CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply) certification, further consolidating our group-wide ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and OHSAS 18001 (Health & Safety Management) standards.
Procurement identifies, manages and ultimately reduces both risk and environmental impact, including carbon within the supply chain. This allows the business to genuinely recognise vendors as a key contributor and stakeholder in our overall improvement efforts in the area of corporate responsibility – a perfect example of people, planet and performance coming together. During 2011, this class-leading position will be further enhanced through our aim of achieving certification under the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code.
A sustainable supply chain
Veolia endeavours to use suppliers that share our desire to work in a responsible and ethical manner. We
take a proactive approach to working with ethical suppliers.
We have recently improved our vendor system so that it is now completely electronic and allows for
greater visibility of sustainable supply chain opportunities from pre-selection through to contract operation.
Our intention is to build on this to add value and ensure that we have long-lasting relationships with our
key suppliers.
Our Waste Manifesto 2
Waste management is evolving. Those leading the transformation are duty-bound to make clear their position on the challenges that emerge, to guide the industry forward. Our second Waste Manifesto makes our position very clear and details the actions we have put in place to address the key issues of debate.
At a time when the coalition government has pledged its commitment to a low-carbon economy, we believe it’s more important than ever for the recycling and waste industry to show leadership. With the UK striving for a cleaner, greener future and the ongoing impact of the Landfill Tax ‘escalator’ now really making its presence felt, there is more scope for investment in proven recycling and recovery solutions.
We believe we are well positioned and can offer an informed perspective on how the UK’s already much-enhanced recycling performance can continue to be improved. Beyond the technology, the importance of working with local communities, government and business on the issues and importance of new infrastructure – and why landfill is no longer an option – cannot be overestimated.
Our Waste Manifesto 2 sets out to address the issues covered in a spirit of frankness and honesty; to guide the industry in making informed decisions on the future of waste.
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Working with customers
In 2010, we again joined forces with Whitbread, the UK’s largest hotel and restaurant chain, to roll out a food waste recycling service. Veolia now collects food waste from 397 of the chain’s hotels and restaurants, including Premier Inn, Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns. This waste is then processed by anaerobic digestion to create renewable energy – preventing over 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions entering the atmosphere every year; that’s the equivalent to taking 750 vehicles off the road.
Alexandra Glenn, Procurement Manager for Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, said: “Whitbread is leading the hospitality industry’s drive towards improving sustainable performance. We aim to divert 80% of waste from our hotels and restaurants away from landfill by February 2012, and our integrated approach working with Veolia is making this possible.”
Our partnership with Whitbread was recognised at the Climate Week Awards in March 2011, when we were presented with the ‘Best Initiative by a Large Business’ award. This acknowledges our dedicated commitment to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill.
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The prestigious Purple Flag
Working in partnership with Wycombe District Council, we have helped them to gain the prestigious ‘Purple Flag’. This award is a new, national recognition that is presented to districts which present themselves as welcoming and appealing to visitors, and which offer safe transport links. Veolia Environmental Services was highly commended for providing the Council with a high standard of street cleansing and recycling services.
More than just a contractor
Our work with Shell demonstrates how working together as a partnership produces the best results. Veolia Environmental Services has operated from the Stanlow Refinery since August 2006. The site processes 11 million tonnes of crude oil every year and our duties include high-pressure water jetting of vessels, tanks and heat exchangers. Tank cleaning teams will take anything from two to three days, to two to three weeks to clean a tank, depending on its size and the waste inside. Veolia has cleaned 30 tanks in the past 18 months, presenting them back to Shell in a dry condition.
Recycling initiatives in Blackpool
The historic British seaside town of Blackpool produces an average 73,000 tonnes of waste each year. In 2005, we won the bid for refuse and recycling collection in the town, and have taken up the challenge by Blackpool Council to more than double the rate of domestic recycling from 17% to 40% by 2012.
The Blackpool contract demonstrates our commitment to implement change in the communities in which we serve. We introduced 120,000 wheelie bins in the first year, which resulted in local recycling levels increasing to 26%. Through careful planning and delivery of a proper means of recycling for residents, 49,000 households were soon able to separate their own residual, dry and green waste. This has increased the recycling rate to 38% already, with two years to achieve another 2% and reach the 2012 target.
Veolia has been awarded a seven-year extension to the current collection contract.