As part of our commitment to sustainability, each January we reward our customers with a Recycling Standard certificate to celebrate their recycling efforts for the previous year.
Depending on recycling rate and the number and type of services customers have, they will be awarded either Gold, Silver, or Zero to Landfill.
How does it work?
We base our three Recycling Standards on the recycling rate of a business as a percentage of the total waste disposed with First Mile. For Gold and Silver, this also includes the number of recycling services set up. We base our three Recycling Standards on the recycling rate.
Gold: 80%+ recycling rate AND 4 or more services, or 3 or more services if you have food recycling (one of these services must be general waste)
Silver: 50%+ recycling rate AND 2 services
Zero to Landfill: Up to 49% recycling rate
What did we achieve in 2023?
More than 10,100 customers achieved Silver and Gold, meaning they recycled either over 50% of their waste; or 80% plus at least 3 services, respectively.
First Mile won over 7,600 new customer locations, and had a 12% increase in recycling products vs 2022.
We want to give a huge thanks to all of our customers, partners, suppliers and amazing staff for a fantastic 2023.
Some of our 2023 Gold customers
Hawkins Brown
Industry: Office
Recycling rate: 81%
Number of services: 12
Carbon avoided: 12 tonnes
With their office based in London, Hawkins Brown offer a range of specialist architecture and interior design services.
In recent years, data has become an increasingly valuable asset for office-based businesses, so it's no surprise that disposing of confidential items securely is a priority.
Along with Confidential Waste Recycling, we set Hawkins Brown up with services specific to the needs of an office; including Cardboard, Toner & Cartridge, Battery, and Food Waste Recycling.
With 12 First Mile recycling streams, in 2023 Hawkins Brown avoided 12 tonnes of carbon emissions and have a 81% recycling rate.
Broadwick Soho
Industry: Hospitality
Recycling rate: 91%
Number of services: 6
Carbon avoided: 36 tonnes
Broadwick Soho is a luxury boutique hotel located in Soho in busy Central London.
Smaller hospitality businesses generally deal with manageable waste volumes, so creating best practices around core recycling services is an important factor in streamlining staff and guest processes.
Astor Court Hotel currently have 6 different First Mile streams set up, including Mixed Recycling, Food Waste, Glass and Cardboard Recycling. This has helped them to achieve an impressive 91% recycling rate, and avoid 36 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2023.
Curzon Cinema
Industry: Public venue
Recycling rate: 81%
Number of services: 7
Carbon avoided: 116 tonnes
As a busy cinema in various locations across London, Curzon Cinema needed a variety of tailored recycling streams for the different types of waste generated by customers and staff.
Whether it's cinema, sport events, concerts or theatre shows, you'll almost certainly need to set up specific recycling streams for public venues.
Curzon Cinema currently have 7 different recycling streams set up, including Glass, Mixed Recycling, Cardboard, Food Waste, and Confidential Waste Recycling; allowing them to achieve an 81% recycling rate.
Their recycling efforts in 2023 meant that they avoided 116 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Allpress Espresso
Industry: Food & beverage
Recycling rate: 91%
Number of services: 10
Carbon avoided: 61 tonnes
Allpress Espresso serves coffee and food to customers, but also roasts specialty coffee for some of the best independent cafes across the UK.
To suit their London-based cafe and office, they needed a range of different recycling services. They currently have 10 First Mile streams set up, including Coffee, Food Waste, Cooking Oil, and Flexible Plastics Recycling.
Their commitment to sustainability has earned them an almost 91% recycling rate, and they avoided 61 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2023.
Browns
Industry: Retail
Recycling rate: 90%
Number of services: 6
Carbon avoided: 23 tonnes
Browns is a luxury fashion designer with stores in Central London.
Typical retail waste often includes packing materials like cardboard and glass, and food waste from the staff that work there.
Browns currently have 6 First Mile services set up, and with their recycing efforts, achieved a 90% recycling rate and avoided 23 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2023.
Make 2024 your most sustainable (and compliant) year yet
First Mile is here to help you avoid even more carbon in 2024.
We offer the widest range of single stream recycling services alongside our core services, providing tailor-fit solutions that suit your sector and business size; so you can save money, and stay ahead of changing legislation.
Find out more about setting up more services on our dedicated page
To find out which services are best suited to your industry and business size, check out our business recycling guide.
To comply with the new Simpler Recycling legislation, businesses will need to have food recycling set up; and since it costs less than general waste, you can save up to a third by setting up a regular food recycling service.
