RWS AR 23 Final Single pages - Flipbook - Page 31
MINIMISING WASTE
PAPER
Being a service-based company, our waste generation is
naturally low and non-hazardous. However, we continue
to engage colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders
to take ownership and create more e昀케cient operations
and practices.
We have embraced agile working which enables
digitalised process and resulted in a reduction in the
amount of paper we use. As part of our Green O昀케ce
Policy, we purchase paper which is sustainably sourced
from known and responsible sources and we print
double-sided where possible.
In FY23, the Group took several measures to reduce
waste. These included:
•
•
Whilst rolling out of the environmental compliance
programme, we ensure the RWS Group Waste Policy is
implemented appropriately to optimise recycling
The introduction of the new Group-wide Waste Policy
improved waste collection methodology, e.g. separating
aluminum and biowaste in Brno (Czechia) enabled
the o昀케ce to collect approx. 50kg of aluminum which
they could sell-back and separate biowaste which is
now repurposed and used for heating. In Cluj-Napoca
(Romania), for example, plastic caps are being ‘resold’
and the funds donated to charity, and co昀昀ee grounds
are collected for colleagues to use as fertilizer
•
Working with landlords regarding waste measurement
and management
•
Working with suppliers to get more accurate reports
detailing waste and recycling
•
Sending our electronic equipment back to the supplier
to recycle as part of a global buy-back scheme
•
•
•
Storing and reusing bubble wrap and cardboard boxes
Championing recycling during our 'Recycling Week'
Hosted a World Cleanup Day to further educate, inform
and engage colleagues around waste
Where our o昀케ces are in managed buildings, we are
working with landlords to derive better data on waste and
then implement programmes to reduce, reuse and recycle.
WATER
Most of our o昀케ces use water from municipal supply and
are in developed countries with a high capability for water
adaptation and mitigation.
ELECTRONIC WASTE
RWS seeks to purchase the most energy e昀케cient IT
hardware and work with global suppliers who are
committed to reducing their global footprint.
We purchase our end use computers from a supply base
which utilise carbon 昀椀bre and tree-based bio plastics.
Our supply base has been an Energy Star partner for
over a decade, demonstrating its ongoing commitment
to energy e昀케ciency in its products. Energy star certi昀椀ed
laptops use 25-40% less energy than conventional
monitors by using the most e昀케cient components
and better managing energy use when idle. We also
operate a buy-back scheme with our supply base to
further enhance reuse and certi昀椀ed Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling as part of our
disposal policy.
We encourage our colleagues globally to switch
o昀昀 laptops and monitors when not in use and have
con昀椀gurations in place for inactivity to reduce energy
consumption. Our strategy incorporates consolidation to
reduce overall footprint of hardware and software across
our IT estate.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
As conditions return to the new ‘normal’ post the
Covid-19 pandemic, business travel and commuting have
increased. The Group continues to utilise software to
hold virtual meetings and these are promoted as a way
to curtail unnecessary business travel.
Moving forward we continue to reach out to the landlords
of our leased o昀케ces and request detailed information.
We are also introducing measures to reduce water usage
including low 昀氀ow plumbing 昀椀xtures, identifying and
昀椀xing leaks, and communicating with employees about
responsible water use measures.
In FY23 we hosted an awareness day for World Ocean
Day to educate, inform and engage colleagues as well as
a World Rivers Day competition to raise awareness of the
importance of our rivers around the world and encourage
increased stewardship. More than 180 entries were
received and colleagues globally participated in judging
the winners.
STRATEGIC REPORT
RWS Holdings plc — Annual Report 2023
31
