As part of its industry leading sustainability programme, Step Towards Greener, Dulux Trade Contract Partnership has invited a number of well recognised experts to share their sustainability journeys with you. Listen and learn how they have set challenges, identified solutions, engaged team members and inspired others.

Sustainability is an increasingly important part of being an efficient, effective and responsible construction company. It helps set your company apart from the competition. Fortunately, adopting a more sustainable approach to running a business is not difficult.

With just a few simple steps any construction company can start to minimise its impact on the planet, improve its economic viability and engage with its workforce and local community.

Wates

Rachel Woolliscroft, Head of Sustainability.

In 2006 Rachel Woolliscroft set out to reduce the amount of construction waste Wates was sending to landfill. The waste was detrimental to the environment and its disposal was costing Wates over £3.5 million pounds a year. Rachel set a target for all of the firm’s non-hazardous waste to be recycled by 2010.

Her campaign started with an initiative to encourage construction sites to separate their waste to make it easier to recycle with limited success. Rachel then turned her attention to the firm’s waste contractors. She encouraged Wates to put in place long term trading agreements with waste companies that were prepared to invest in segregation facilities at their depots.

The solution was a success. As a result of Rachel’s campaign, the amount of waste Wates’ now sends to landfill has been reduced from 47% in 2005 to just 5% in 2010. “This campaign continues to be a catalyst to drive engagement around the sustainability agenda,” she says.

“You can’t beat honest conversations about the sustainability challenges facing us all in the built environment”

To find out more about Dulux Trade Contract Partnership and its industry leading sustainability program, Step Towards Greener, check out the tab titled “Step Towards Greener”, or www.contractpartnership.co.uk

 

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