Business case

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Producing textile and leather products and processing them into apparel and accessories

Fashion and Textiles

Engaging in discussions with industry stakeholders to share circular economy best practices and push the industry towards greater circularity

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Developing or utilising online platforms to enable circular economy opportunities through information, product or service offering

Online platforms

Make collected and sorted recyclables available for use by citizens, small businesses up to large scale industrial processes. 

Use recyclables

Implementation of strategies to collect recyclable waste in order to make it accessible and available to be used as an input in industrial processes (big or small). These are door-to-door collection (higher recovery rates but more costly intensive), drop-off schemes (cheaper but less effective, more common in cities with high housing density), or a combination of the two, and their corresponding incentive schemes. 

Collect recyclables

Infrastructure for citizens or cities to sort waste and extract recyclables, including incentives and pay-as-you-throw policies, as well as clear and targeted communications campaigns.

Sort recyclables

Collection of waste arising from commercial and industrial actors

Collect non residential

Collect organic waste generated by households and related businesses for use in, for example, composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Collect organic

Solutions at all stages of the textiles value chain.

Zero Waste Textiles

Other

Industries

small_coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

thumbnail_coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

large_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

medium_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

small_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

thumbnail_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

Urban Opportunities

      Zero Waste Scotland exists to lead Scotland to use products and resources responsibly, focusing on where we can have the greatest impact on climate change.   Using evidence and insight, our goal is to inform policy, and motivate individuals and businesses to embrace the environmental, economic, and social benefits of a circular economy. 
We are a not-for-profit environmental organisation, funded by the Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund.
Our structure
As a company limited by guarantee, Zero Waste Scotland’s board is comprised of six non-executive directors, one of whom is the chair, and one executive director, who is the chief executive officer. Company membership includes Scottish ministers alongside our non-executive directors.
How we are funded
We are funded by the Scottish Government and receive funding from the European Structural Funds Programme to help accelerate our circular economy and resource efficiency work with SMEs in Scotland.
As a publicly-funded organisation, we are accountable for what we do and we want to lead by example. This is why we publish copies of our financial and environmental performance. 

What we have achieved so far
We enter this new corporate plan after a successful period since the formation of the company in 2014. In that time, our work has seen Scotland recognised internationally as one of the leading nations driving a circular economy. Our key achievements include:

Transforming attitudes to food waste. We have helped to reduce household food waste by 7% between 2011 and 2015 and supported councils, which now provide food waste recycling services for 80% of Scottish households.
Supporting the implementation of the 5p carrier bag charge which saw distribution of single-use bags fall by 80% in the first full year since it came into effect.
Implementing lifetime cost savings of more than £200 million, by avoiding more than 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions between 2013-2017 through advice to businesses on saving energy, water and waste from Resource Efficient Scotland.
Creating the Revolve quality standard, in partnership with the reuse sector. In August 2017 we achieved the milestone of 150 Revolve stores being certified through the programme – a number which continues to rise.
Delivering the Circular Economy Investment Fund and supporting the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, both backed by European investment, to develop game-changing innovation and infrastructure for a more resource efficient, circular economy.
Contributing our expertise to the voluntary code of practice which underpins the Scottish Household Recycling Charter, setting out how Scottish councils can move to consistent, high quality recycling services nationwide.
Working with government and other agencies to jointly win the World Economic Forum: Circulars Award 2017 for Cities and Governments and hosting a major international Circular Economy Hotspot in 2018.

Financial performance
Details of our income and expenditure and how we use it are published annually in our financial statements.
The most recent statements are those for 2017/18.
Environmental performance
Details of the environmental objectives we set as an organisation and how we have performed against them are also published on an annual basis.
The most recent report on performance is for Q4 2018-19.            

Zero Waste Scotland exists to lead Scotland to use products and resources responsibly, focusing on where we can have the greatest impact on climate change. 

Using evidence and insight, our goal is to inform policy, and motivate individuals and businesses to embrace the environmental, economic, and social benefits of a circular economy. 

We are a not-for-profit environmental organisation, funded by the Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund.

thumbnail_blob

blob

Zero Waste Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland is an online platform that exists to promote the circular economy. The governmental funded organization is driving change through information sharing, motivating organizations and direct interventions that affect change. This is done through offering financing, business support, technical advice and training. Zero Waste Scotland also supports a number of textile related projects.

Scottish online platform to promote the circular economy 

small_Vortex (2022).JPG

thumbnail_Vortex (2022).JPG

Vortex (2022).JPG

This collection features a selection of case studies, based on the global *Circularity Gap Reports*, that can mitigate climate breakdown by reducing virgin material consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The latest **[Circularity Gap Report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023#download)** reveals that the global economy is now only 7.2% circular and outlines how circular solutions across four sectors can bring global planetary boundaries back within safe limits. 

In the six years of the *Circularity Gap Report*, the global economy has extracted and used unprecedented amounts of materials. The first edition of the *Report *in 2018 found that global circularity was 9.1% and it has decreased every year since—leaving a Circularity Gap of over 90%. If this trend continues, we will have to find more and better solutions to combat the negative effects of climate change. This is why we have identified case studies from across the globe—based on the needs of society and planetary health—that serve as real-world examples of the circular economy in action.

Circle Economy is a not-for-profit organisation working to accelerate the circular transition. Through the *Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative*, our mission is to deliver an annual global Circularity Metric that measures the state of the world economy and identifies key levers to transition to global circularity. With nature as our guide, we work alongside cross-sector stakeholders from academia, businesses, NGOs and governments to provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable interventions that transform circular opportunities into realities. 


To learn more about these interventions to accelerate the circular transition, read the latest [Circularity Gap Report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023#download), as well as previous editions of the global [Circularity Gap Reports](https://www.circularity-gap.world/global).

large_CGR 2023 Post #1 (Report Introduction).png

medium_CGR 2023 Post #1 (Report Introduction).png

small_CGR 2023 Post #1 (Report Introduction).png

thumbnail_CGR 2023 Post #1 (Report Introduction).png

CGR 2023 Post #1 (Report Introduction).png

Global Circularity Gap Report 2023

large_martin-sanchez-ezY6rc65mUE-unsplash.jpg

medium_martin-sanchez-ezY6rc65mUE-unsplash.jpg

small_martin-sanchez-ezY6rc65mUE-unsplash.jpg

thumbnail_martin-sanchez-ezY6rc65mUE-unsplash.jpg

martin-sanchez-ezY6rc65mUE-unsplash.jpg

Producing building materials and providing services to create residential and non-residential infrastructure and real estate


Construction and Infrastructure

Providing residential and non-residential construction services, such as architectural, engineering, planning, real-estate, contracting, and inspection services

Construction and Real Estate Services

Producing building materials and finished and semi-finished building products for construction

Construction Materials and Products

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Utilise bio-based, reusable, non-toxic and non-critical materials

Regenerative materials

Replace freshwater with less impactful alternatives and enact water efficiency measures

Regenerative water

Replace energy sources with less impactful alternatives and enact energy efficiency measures

Regenerative energy

Designing to reduce waste during production and use

Design out waste

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

Enacting measures that optimise water use

Water efficiency

Enacting measures that optimise energy use

Energy efficiency

Designing products so they use as little materials, water, energy, etc. as possible during use

Design for resource efficiency

Efficiency and effectiveness of water supply services must be secured by minimising the leaks, through a combination of leak detection techniques, pipes maintenance and reparation and water audits. Leak minimisation can be enhanced through the use of sensor technologies.

Minimise leaks

The need that represents the largest resource footprint, with 42.4 billion tonnes, is for construction and maintenance of houses, offices, roads and other infrastructure, especially in the developing world.

Housing

- Lightweighting, frugal design and lifetime extension of bearing elements
- Reduction in construction losses
- Local construction materials
- Energy-efficient appliances and use
- Lower room temperature and smart metering

Saving: 3.45 Gt emissions and 4.05 Gt material use 
 

🏠 Resource efficient construction

The framework consists of 21 complementary interventions, across six scenarios - one for each of the six societal needs we model. These interventions can mitigate climate impact by curbing GHG emissions

Note: interventions are currently focused on:
- 🏠 Housing 
- 🍎 Nutrition
- 🚗 Mobility
- 👚📺 Consumables
- 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Healthcare
-  🔊 Communication

These 21 interventions are spread across six societal needs and wants, with a set of solutions. Within these solutions are strategies on ’how to get there'.  

The framework moves beyond incremental action and provides solutions that will require behavioral change (dietary shifts towards less meat consumption, for example) and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in the industry to mitigate emissions in hard-to-abate sectors (such as steel manufacturing). It illustrates how continued globalisation can benefit from the uptake of digital solutions. The combined interventions showcase the mitigation potential that begins where the current country pledges end; illustrating the additional impact our interventions can bring to the NDCs. In short, the interventions provide input for a more profound fundamental transformation than the more current pathways that make up the vast majority of NDCs. 

Together, the combined interventions can almost double the current global Circularity Metric of 8.6%, bringing it to 17%. 

This results in:
• Shrinking global material use and extraction by 28%. 
• Cutting global GHG emissions by 39%—fully closing the Emissions Gap as defined in our report and taking into account the updated NDCs.
• Allowing the world to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping at 1.5-degrees of warming by 2032.

*This framework was developed in the Circularity Gap Report 2021. Read more about it [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/resources/circularity-gap-report-2021)*






Global Circularity Gap Report

An intervention-based framework for nations and stakeholders working towards circular countries

The Resource Efficient House is an innovative project managed by Zero Waste Scotland as part of Resource Efficient Scotland, the Scottish Government funded programme that helps businesses, the public and third sectors save money by using resources more efficiently. Constructed off-site by means of structural insulated panels (SIPs) the modular and flexible Resource Efficient House is an airtight, highly insulated building designed to reduce home energy costs and achieve net zero carbon emissions. A range of green technologies have also been incorporated and in terms of energy efficiency the house is set to meet enhanced 2016 Scottish Building Standards Gold performance requirements. The whole lifetime of the House has been considered to ensure minimal construction waste and support the effective reuse or recycling of construction materials at the point of property deconstruction in 2015.

Innovative resource efficient house

small_20210526 - CJI logo - 185x600px-01.png

thumbnail_20210526 - CJI logo - 185x600px-01.png

20210526 - CJI logo - 185x600px-01.png

This collection comes from the <a href="https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Initiative</a>, an initiative of Circle Economy.

The workforce is an essential lever for transforming our economy from linear to circular. The Circular Jobs Initiative aims to maximise the employment opportunities offered by the circular economy. It provides practical support and insights to businesses and governments that want to adopt circular strategies that have a positive social impact.The Circular Jobs Initiative works through three focus areas: 

- Upskilling the workforce

- Quality of work

- Inclusive job opportunities 

CJI has defined circular jobs as any occupation that directly involves or indirectly supports one of the strategies of the circular economy. It distinguishes between three types of circular jobs: core, enabling and indirectly circular jobs.

**Core circular jobs** are all jobs that ensure the closure of raw material cycles, including jobs in repair, renewable energy, waste and resource management. 

**‍Enabling circular jobs** are jobs that remove barriers for and enable the acceleration and upscaling of core circular activities, including jobs that arise in leasing, education, design and digital technology. 

**Indirectly circular jobs** are jobs that occur in other sectors that do not play a direct role in furthering the transition to the circular economy but can still adopt circular strategies. They include jobs that provide services to core circular strategies, including jobs in information services, logistics and the public sector.

The Knowledge Hub Collection includes examples of circular jobs, publications, reports, case studies and policies different organisations, governments and businesses are already using to advocate for a person-centred circular economy. 

Visit the <a href="https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Initiative</a>

Visit the <a href="http://jobsmonitor.circle-economy.com/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Monitor</a>

20210526 - CJI vignette - circle crop - 120x120px.png

Circular Jobs Initiative

large_shutterstock_406114573.jpg

medium_shutterstock_406114573.jpg

small_shutterstock_406114573.jpg

thumbnail_shutterstock_406114573.jpg

shutterstock_406114573.jpg

Article / Report

Impact on the quantity or quality of jobs, and shifts in the labour market

Jobs

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Producing electrical equipment and machinery for industrial use

Capital Equipment

Providing electricity and gas services, including traditional and renewable energy generation, natural and manufactured gas and operating gas networks

Energy Utilities and Independent Power Producers

Extracting and gathering wood through forestry and producing wood and paper products

Wood and Paper

Utilising data and models to to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Data analytics, modelling

Installing sensors to gather data from products and services to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Sensors, monitoring systems

Solidify definitions and create frameworks to support the understanding of the circular economy across contexts and maintain cohesive systems of data sharing, processing and storing.


 Knowledge Management

Data, knowledge & information sharing

Metrics and indicators to measure progress

Impacts

small_climate-4803653_640.jpg

thumbnail_climate-4803653_640.jpg

climate-4803653_640.jpg

A framework of policy instruments that enabled and encourage the transition to the circular economy

Policies

medium_image-20160922-22514-1aqaw5j.jpg

small_image-20160922-22514-1aqaw5j.jpg

thumbnail_image-20160922-22514-1aqaw5j.jpg

image-20160922-22514-1aqaw5j.jpg

A framework of policy instruments that enable and stimulate the transition to the circular economy

LuisSosaResearch Analyst Circular Jobs Initiative

The report "The Future of Work: Baseline Employment Analysis and Skills Pathways for the Circular Economy in Scotland" explores the implications of the transition towards the circular economy for the Scottish labour market. It presents a baseline measurement of the number and geographical distribution of jobs currently related to the circular economy in Scotland and explores the types of circular jobs, roles and skills associated with opportunity areas in three value chains: construction, bioeconomy and capital equipment. Circle Economy and Zero Waste Scotland designed this report to support enterprise agencies, workforce development, governments, universities, employers and other representatives to recognise the potential of the circular economy for the Scottish labour market and the related skills development needs of its workforce as part of a just transition. Circular Jobs MonitorThe report complements Circle Economy's Circular Jobs Monitor, an online tool that gathers, displays, and keeps track of the number and range of jobs that are part of the circular economy across the world, complements the report.

Scotland

medium_blob

small_blob

OUR MISSION IS TO ACCELERATE THE PRACTICAL AND SCALABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

At Circle Economy, we believe in a visionary future for our planet — one in which we do not have to compromise in order to achieve economic, social, and environmental prosperity. As an impact organisation, we connect and empower a global community to create the conditions for systemic transformation. With nature as our mentor, we work alongside businesses, cities and governments to identify opportunities to make the transition to the circular economy, and provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable solutions to turn these opportunities into reality.
‍
Our mission is to empower a global community of businesses, cities and governments to accelerate the transition to the circular economy through practical and scalable insights and solutions that address humanity’s greatest challenges.

thumbnail_circle-economy.jpg

circle-economy.jpg

Circle Economy

The report explores the implications of the transition towards the circular economy for the Scottish labour market. It presents a baseline measurement of the number and geographical distribution of jobs currently related to the circular economy in Scotland and explores the types of circular jobs, roles and skills associated with opportunity areas in three value chains: 1) construction, 2) bioeconomy and 3) capital equipment.Circle Economy and&nbsp;Zero Waste Scotland&nbsp;designed this report to support enterprise agencies, workforce development, governments, universities, employers and other representatives to recognise the potential of the circular economy for the Scottish labour market and the related skills development needs of its workforce as part of a just transition.&nbsp;

The Future of Work: Baseline Employment Analysis and Skills Pathways for the Circular Economy in Scotland

Impacts on the social fabric of the community and well-being of the individuals and families.

Social Impact

Providing public and private education and support services at any level or for any profession, and governmental and public administration services, including judicial, regulatory, and legislative activities, taxation, defence, public order and safety, immigration services, foreign affairs and the administration of government programmes

Education and Government Services

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Provide guidance or professional training to educate employees to use circular economy principles

Training on the circular economy

'Inform' increases the overall levels of awareness and builds the necessary skills and knowledge around the circular economy to foster long-term change.

Inform

Integrate principles of circularity into primary, secondary and tertiary curriculum and conduct workplace trainings

 Education and Curriculum

Encourage workplace training

Archetypes

CE Materials

Materials

Nace Sectors

Topics

Whilst no two countries are the same, there are still obvious similarities between some of them, with discernible development patterns and parallels in evidence. Common problems and shared solutions help place unique country identities and individual issues in context.

Whilst this classification is far from clear-cut and exhibits some overlap, it does underline how the discourse on transitioning to a circular economy needs to account for both differences and commonalities, if we are to arrive at a more strategic and instructive analysis. It also allows to highlight a set of key themes that are likely to be central to the countries that fall under the respective profiles. 

Country profiles (Build, Grow, Shift)

thumbnail_bgsimage 14.png

bgsimage 14.png

A framework to distinguish between different country profiles and their circular transition needs.

Browse case studies by type of implementing stakeholder.

Implementing stakeholders

80+ circular strategies for product development 
organised hierarchically into three tiers
with tier 1 and tier 2 based on the Key Elements Framework

DISRUPT

The Circular City Actions Framework provides urban changemakers with five complementary strategies they can use to start working towards a more circular system. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete strategic directions and showcase the desired outcomes of each strategy. 
The framework consists of five complementary **strategies**, under which **sub-strategies** provide further detail. Finally, each sub-strategy consists of a diversity of tangible **solutions** which are framed in relation to key thematic areas. 

Note: solutions are currently focused on:
- 🍏 **Food systems**
- 🏢  **Built environment**
- 👕📱  **Consumer goods**
- ⚡ **Energy Systems**
- 🚌 **Mobility Systems**
- 💧 **Water Systems**

More thematic areas are coming soon...

'Click through each of the five strategy cards below to explore the framework and circular economy case studies in more depth!'



This framework was developed in collaboration with ICLEI, Metabolic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation with support from the MAVA Foundation. Read more about it [here]( https://circulars.iclei.org/action-framework/). 



Circular City Actions Framework

large_Circular-City-Actions-Framework-infographic-scaled_gray background.jpeg

medium_Circular-City-Actions-Framework-infographic-scaled_gray background.jpeg

small_Circular-City-Actions-Framework-infographic-scaled_gray background.jpeg

thumbnail_Circular-City-Actions-Framework-infographic-scaled_gray background.jpeg

Circular-City-Actions-Framework-infographic-scaled_gray background.jpeg

An action-based framework for local governments working towards circular cities

 A Zero Waste Plan for Scotland:

Waste affects every one of us in Scotland. Every day, at home and at work, we acquire, use and dispose of resources. And as individuals and organisations we are becoming increasingly aware of our impact on the environment, and the need to look after the precious resources we all depend on.
Scotland has already made huge progress on waste. We have cut dramatically the amount of waste we throw away in landfill sites, and recycling has soared. The Scottish Government has energetically supported local authorities in driving up recycling rates and achieving the European target to cut the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfill more than 4 years earlier than the deadline of 2013. Our ambitious climate change legislation includes powers to tackle the climate impacts of waste. And we have set up a coordinated Zero Waste Scotland programme to support action on waste.
However, there is still much to do. We must carry on cleaning up our act, preventing and reducing waste. Above all, we have to recognise that everything we use and throw away is a resource which has a value, a value that we should try to preserve, capture, and use again wherever possible.
That is what a zero waste Scotland means - not a country where we never throw anything away, but a new approach to making the most effective use of all resources, and avoiding wasting resources or making them unusable wherever we can. This Zero Waste Plan aims to bring a step change for Scotland. To do that, it has to tackle all Scotland's waste, not just the waste that local authorities collect and manage, which is less than a fifth of all waste.
A zero waste Scotland will need commitment and resolve from every one of us. As I travel around Scotland, I see individuals and organisations taking action to prevent or reduce waste, and use resources more efficiently. I am convinced that by harnessing their enthusiasm and following their lead, we will build a zero waste Scotland.
Government's role is to set the vision, introduce policies to drive change, and give leadership to bring these changes to fruition. This first Zero Waste Plan for Scotland sets a course for the changes we need to make. It proposes long term targets of recycling 70% of all Scotland's waste, and only 5% of remaining waste ending up in landfill by 2025.
I believe this Zero Waste Plan sets realistic, ambitious and sustainable objectives, and that it gives clear signals that allows us to make plans, invest and take decisions for the future, so we can work towards a greener, less wasteful Scotland that can support us and our children.

RICHARD LOCHHEAD, MSP Cabinet Secretary 

SWITCH (Scottish Waste Industry Training, Competency, Health & Safety) is a multi-partnership forum made up of organisations across all sectors within the resource management industry.
These organisations include Zero Waste Scotland, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Government, private waste management companies, advisory bodies and local authorities.
Page 2There is a large amount of support and guidance relating to COVID-19 being released, which can make it confusing to find the correct guidance. We have grouped the guidance together from the following organisation, which is relevant to the sector.
If there is something you feel should be included or you wish to share please contact admin@switchforum.org.uk
Scottish Government Advice
The main Scot Govt website detailing the overall government guidance on all aspects of the lockdown, including the recent 4 phase route map, and the latest specific updates and announcements from the First Minister.
Government Sector Guidance & Advice
Overall UK and Scottish government guidance on more specific regulations relating to the operation of the waste industry, relaxations of existing rules, and timeframes for further reviews.
WISH Guidance
Waste Industry Safety and Health links, providing information and reviews around the safe operation of waste management through the COVID-19 crisis. This also details changes to legislation and best practice and the guidance around ensuring staff remain safe whilst working.
HSE Guidance
Health and Safety Executive website, providing guidance for employers on all aspects of compliance with current regulations for safe working practices both in the workplace and for homeworkers.
Templates
A range of example document templates for you to use and update. Including templates on Social Distancing in the workplace, monitoring, and managing affected staff and safe working procedures.


The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s principal environmental regulator, protecting and improving Scotland’s environment.

SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)

Scottish Government

The leading professional body for resource and waste professionals, CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) is the voice of the sector and represents over 5,500 individuals in the UK and overseas.

Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM)

Albion Environmental Limited was established in 2002 and has developed into one of the UK’s leading consultants specialising in waste management, environmental, health and safety solutions.  They deliver strategic advice, support and training to the waste management, facilities management and construction industries in both the public and private sectors.

Albion Environmental

The Scottish Waste Industry Training, Competency, Health &amp; Safety (SWITCH) Forum works to promote the Scottish resource management industry as an attractive career choice in Scotland. The programme provides leadership by working collaboratively to raise health and safety standards, training, learning and development, and technical competence.The multi-partnership forum is made up of organisations across all sectors within the resource management industry. This includes Zero Waste Scotland, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Government, private waste management companies, advisory bodies and local authorities. It was born out of the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan in 2010, which tasked Zero Waste Scotland with developing a programme to support continual improvements in health and safety and workforce skills in the resource management sector.SWITCH developed a Competence Framework Tool for managers, supervisors and team leaders within the resource management sector to assess their staff against a range of specific competences and skills applicable to their job roles. The Competence Framework has been used by VET providers in Scotland, such as Albion Environmental, as part of their Sustainable Resource Management modern apprenticeship. This apprenticeship provides workplace training to frontline service operatives, collection operatives, site operatives, weighbridge operatives, collection drivers and team leaders. The benefits this common framework has provided to Albion Environmental clients include: - The framework has streamlined modern apprenticeship candidates' inductions, - Career progression planning for apprentices is now more accurate and specific to the individual, - It helps to simplify expectations for new and inexperienced staff and builds confidence, - It is now used to assist HR functions in managing performance, evaluations and annual reviews.

The Scottish Waste Industry Training, Competency, Health and Safety (SWITCH) Forum

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

 Develop research, structure knowledge, encourage innovation networks and disseminate findings with integrity


Strengthen and advance knowledge

    BAM Construction Scotland is introducing its small and medium sized enterprise (SME) designers and supply chain to the free support services offered by Resource Efficient Scotland to help reduce overall project waste and improve financial performance.      Through a focussed approach to waste BAM Construction Scotland has identified the following potential opportunities to date through collaborative working with four of its small and medium enterprise (SME) supply chain partners:

Significant material and waste cost savings
Prevention of 120,184 tonnes of waste arisings
Reduction of raw material consumption by 2,692 tonnes
Carbon savings of over 176 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents
 BAM Construction Ltd. (BAM) designs, constructs, refurbishes and operates buildings for public and private sector clients, and for its own portfolio of properties. We started our conversation with them at a Supply Chain School event. They’ve had the foresight to recognise that improving waste practices through collaborative working with their SME supply chain and designers could potentially result in significant savings for not only itself as the lead contractor but also for their clients.
Our programme has already helped five SME designers identify significant financial, waste and carbon savings on BAM Scotland projects through our facilitated “Designing out construction waste” workshops. The workshops provided the framework for BAM Scotland and individual SMEs to examine the future requirements on each build and design solutions to prevent waste arisings throughout the intended life cycle.
Material optimisation strategies identified include material switching for 100% recyclable alternatives and using more robust materials to reduce the number of replacements required over the lifespan of a project. Additional significant savings were found in redesigning a building on one site to work more closely with the natural levels around it, preventing the need for large soil excavation and the associated disposal costs.
From the five SMEs currently supported, significant savings from avoided material purchase and waste disposal costs were identified. Across the five projects we’ve also identified ways to:

prevent 120,184 tonnes of waste arisings
reduce raw material consumption by 2,692 tonnes and
prevent 176 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents

BAM Scotland has made a commitment to repeat the designing out waste workshop activity at strategic points within the design process to ensure that actions identified are being followed through.
Recognising that identifying waste opportunities at the design stage is just the first step, the company is now in the process of highlighting our free on-site opportunity assessments to its SME supply chain. On-site support can help identify where opportunities lie to improve general working practices, procurement decisions, material choices and material handling. In addition we can help SMEs to identify savings not only for the project they are working on but also within their own organisations, extending all the way back to their own facilities and on future projects.
At a strategic level, BAM Scotland recognises the importance of waste data measurement, recording and comparison in trying to prevent and manage waste on projects. As such it will be looking at the commercial cost, waste and material and CO2 savings achieved as a result of all support activities in comparison to those predicted at the design stage. Future changes will be implemented across its sites based on the outcomes. Results will be compared with historic waste information held in a customised BRE SMaRTWaste programme BAM SMaRT – a database that enables the company to assess its efficiency performance against waste production targets and other strategic and project KPIs. As a lead contractor, BAM Scotland is committed to sharing its identified learnings with its supply chain and helping to drive improvement and efficiency on all projects.
BAM Scotland has found the knowledge and information available through our service to be a great asset to both itself and all the SMEs it works with. The direct support to its SME supply chain and the indirect support available through our website and free guides and tools have provided valuable guidance with removing all potential barriers to taking action. Our Waste Prevention Innovation Fund and SME Loan Fund may also help SMEs in BAM Scotland’s supply chain implement any identified solutions through loans and grants of up to £100k available per company.

‘The support provided to our supply chain by the service has allowed us to drive efficiencies throughout our working practices and find the potential to make significant savings. We’d like our suppliers to share in this benefit too.’ says Michael Shields, Systems & Environmental Manager at BAM Construction Ltd.

How we can help underpin cost savings for your business
You don’t need to be a small or medium business to realise savings. By helping your SME supply chain partners and sub-contractors become more resource efficient, lead contractors can see improvements in cost, waste and carbon savings. Email the team to discuss how your business or project could work with Zero Waste Scotland to receive specialist support and advice.
Our free service to Scottish businesses is funded by the Scottish Government and by the European Regional Development Fund through the £73 million Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Accelerator Programme.The support provided to this organisation was delivered by Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficient Scotland programme, which has been relaunched as Zero Waste Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Business Support Service as of 1 April 2020.
     

Royal BAM Group nv is a construction firm with operating companies in five European markets (the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany). BAM’s operating companies are active in the business lines Construction and Property, Civil engineering, as well as in Public-private partnerships.

BAM Construction Scotland is building the capacity of its small and medium sized enterprise (SME) designers and supply chain to design out construction waste and improve financial performance, through for example material optimisation strategies. Working with four of its supply chain partners, BAM was able to:- Realise significant material and waste cost savings- Prevent 120,184 tonnes of waste- Reduce raw material consumption by 2,692 tonnes- Achieve carbon savings of over 176 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents