If you’ve been reading the news over the last 12 months, you’ll know that the planet is drowning in a sea of plastic… and consumers are now waking up to this fact, which means that businesses will soon have to make real changes to the way in which they operate if they’re to maintain a loyal customer base.
Back in April last year, sustainability experts WRAP launched its UK Plastics Pact, bringing together businesses from the entire plastics value chain with non-government organisations and the government itself to help tackle the scourge that is single-use plastic.
Some 42 businesses made their commitment to the pact, responsible for more than 80 per cent of the plastic packaging on products that can be bought in supermarkets here in the UK. They are now committed to hit a series of targets by the year 2025, including 100 per cent of plastic packaging to be compostable, recyclable or reusable, 70 per cent of plastic packaging to be effectively recycled or composted, and 30 per cent average recycled content across all plastic packaging.
So now may well be the time for you and your company to start taking similar action, trying to reduce the amount of plastic you produce and the amount you and your employees use. But how best to go about this? Here are a few ideas you could push through this year.
Encourage the concept of reusable cups
No doubt there are many in your workforce who live for their morning cup of coffee, stopping at the local Starbucks on their way to work. Why not offer a subsidy on the purchase of reusable cups for anyone who has this daily habit to help reduce the amount of single-use cups that are sent to landfill?
Talk to your suppliers
As a client, you hold quite a lot of sway – perhaps more than you think you do – so talk to your suppliers or send a formal letter, explaining that you’re trying to cut your plastic footprint as a business. They may be able to make changes to their deliveries so you can cut back on plastic waste.
Be proactive
Head to the beach to show your team the problem the world is facing first-hand. It might well be that they’ve never really considered it as an issues before but being confronted with it could be the catalyst for change you’ve been hoping for. Going on a beach clean-up is also a great team-building exercise that everyone – including the planet – can benefit from.
Leave reusables in the kitchen
Instead of plastic plates and knives and forks, use proper cutlery and crockery so that nothing needs to be binned and can be reused day after day. Remember to do this on charity bake days and coffee mornings as well, when single-use plastic often crops up.
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