Introducing Waste to Wonder – A SSP Winner!
Waste to Wonder Worldwide provide a pioneering ‘Better than Carbon Neutral’ Ethical Clearance Process which is NCZ Platinum Certified – working to redistribute redundant office furniture and equipment – challenging the perception of waste.
Who are waste to wonder
Waste to Wonder Worldwide are a certified social enterprise as well as a specialist project management company. Our social enterprise status means we’re purpose-led and that we invest at least 50% of our profits in our social and environmental mission.
What do Waste to Wonder Do?
Waste to Wonder Worldwide project manage the removal of unwanted furniture and equipment from offices and redistribute it to schools, hospitals, or emergency shelters in the UK and abroad.
We do this through our innovative ‘School in a Box’ programme and to date have supported 1,400 schools in 40 countries, shipped out over 600 containers and annually redistribute over 2,560 Tonnes of equipment. In 2022 our Operational Carbon Footprint report calculated a CO2 saving of 1,468.61 Tonnes.
The very nature of our service eliminates the need to manufacture new items, saving further levels of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. This is important to our collective attempt to address climate change and shows that the emission savings being made are greater than the emissions being generated, therefore producing better than carbon neutral results.
One customer, IBM, has saved three million kilograms of CO2 through its partnership with us. Another, CBRE, has saved 1,560 tonnes of CO2 in the past year by enabling items to be reused.
why do they do it?
Waste to Wonder was established two decades ago with a clear purpose, to challenge people’s perception of waste. The items we donate help school leaders improve the learning environment – and spark change.
If schools don’t have to buy new equipment, leaders can spend more in the classrooms or fund other projects that benefit students and the community, for example, build wells. In one region of The Gambia, we’ve helped to ensure people don’t have to walk a mile to access fresh water, which will make a huge difference for years to come and we have now brought access to safe drinking water to almost 15,000 people across several villages.
Finally, we have a large-scale furniture reuse solution available to our customers. Not only does this help meet our customers sustainability targets, but the Waste to Wonder service supports the development of schools throughout the world. This is close to our hearts at Lyreco, with Lyreco for Education supporting the development of schools and communities in developing countries. I look forward to working with them and enhancing our circular economy services grow.
Andrew Bryers, Head of Sustainability, Lyreco UK & Ireland
SOME WORDS FROM waste to wonder
“To say we were delighted to be considered let alone go on to be a winner of the Supplier Support Program for Lyreco would be an understatement. We have had a passion spanning 20 years to minimise waste and maximise charitable support, unlocking the ESG value in clients redundant office equipment by enhancing educational opportunities in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world. To be onboarded with a Partner like Lyreco, who share our commitment for sustainable development represents an amazing opportunity to expand our social impact and work with even more companies to challenge the perception of waste.” Michael Amos Managing Director
