Green-Works - a social enterprise with the mission to 'radically change the way society thinks about waste'

Set up in 2000 by Colin Crooks (Chief Executive), Green-Works is a registered charity which has revolutionised office waste streams. Green-Works collects vast quantities of redundant office furniture from commercial and public sector organisations with the intention of diverting it from landfill and then passes it on to charities, schools, community and voluntary groups and start-up businesses at discounted prices. A key part of the process is the creation of employment and training opportunities amongst disadvantaged groups across the UK.

Green-Works take everything, from desks, chairs, filing cabinets, hat stands and even carpet tiles, heaters, fans and lights. They operate five warehouses across the UK, three of which are in the South East which is where 60% of the second-hand office furniture is generated each year. Member donors, including increasing numbers of FTSE 100 companies and government bodies (Goldman Sachs, Allen & Overy, the FCO, RBS, the DCMS and EDF Energy), are offered a one-stop collection service for their furniture disposals, for a membership fee. Organisations do not have to become members though, to use this service. The warehouses receive and process furniture and act as retail outlets for the sale of furniture. Prospective customers are encouraged to visit the warehouses, view the furniture and talk to sales staff.

The aim is for zero landfill ensuring that even damaged items can be remanufactured on-site. Their re-manufacturing operation has been developed since the middle of 2006 through which they produce innovative, own design, products aimed mostly at specific market segments such as nurseries, school libraries, computer suites and small offices.

Green-Works is structured as a trading charity operating on recognisable commercial principles. Their unusual business model involves having to maintain two distinct sales teams; one to encourage organisations to pay them to receive the furniture and the other to find new markets for the furniture they receive. The reception fees are the key to their business as they contribute the majority of their revenue. Many substantial UK banks, particularly Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, and HSBC have given Green-Works strong and continuing support which has helped them develop the concepts of sustainability. In the year to June 2006, income from several revenue streams, predominately reception fees, accounted for 91% of their [£1.8m] total turnover; grants contributed the remainder.

Benefits:

- Green-Works achieves a reduction in the volumes dumped in increasingly scarce landfill sites. Office furniture is bulky and contains wood, metal, plastics and composite materials. In 2005/06 Green-Works diverted 7,000 tonnes from landfill.

- Third Sector and other financially constrained organisations are able to buy high-quality furniture at a fraction of the price, enabling them to operate at lower cost. During 2005/06, over 1,800 not-for-profit organisations and small businesses bought furniture from Green-Works. Registered charities receive an additional 15% discount. Green-Works has so far saved organisations over £2m in furniture costs.

- Green-Works employ about 80 people, mainly in deprived areas. Their warehouses provide employment and training opportunities to the long-term unemployed, disabled, homeless, young people on referral schemes and day-release prisoners nearing the end of their sentence. Approximately half of their employees come from a disadvantaged background and/or belong to a minority group. Once trained, employees are encouraged to move on to jobs in the mainstream labour market. Since inception, Green-Works has employed and trained 80 people.

- Several developing countries (Ghana, Gambia, Sudan and Romania) have benefited from furniture sent via container for use in schools and other institutions. Currently, Green-Works is actively participating in a special appeal project for Sierra Leone.

In 5 years, Green-Works has gone from diverting less than 50 tonnes to about 7-8000 tonnes per year and from having 0 to more than 30 employees from disadvantaged backgrounds per year with an annual estimated value of employment of £21,463 for each homeless person. Green-Works is developing its international export operation. Bona fide not-for-profit organisations from across the developing world can have access to surplus furniture for free so long as they can organise transportation. Schools, colleges, orphanages, libraries and local councils have also benefited from this scheme.

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