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Sustainable Seven
Posted: 10 August 2023
Find out how Royal Trinity Hospice is improving sustainability in its shops by developing a framework of seven areas with 24 measurable actions.
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About this innovation example
Title
About this innovation example
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Project and outcomes
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Project overview
Royal Trinity Hospice has 21 shops across Central and South West London, selling preloved clothing and fashion accessories.
Following a survey of customers, the hospice discovered that the main reason for people buying clothes in its shops was because they wanted to shop sustainably. The second most popular motivation was to support the hospice.
The hospice realised it was uniquely positioned to brand its shops as “London’s answer to sustainable fashion”. However, to do this, the retail team wanted to make sure that sustainability was truly at its heart.
They carried out an audit of their shops, looking at where sustainability could be improved both on the shop floor and behind the scenes. Some actions seemed relatively simple, such as:
- Removing all bought-in goods (except Christmas cards)
- Removing all plastic from the Christmas cards range (for example packaging and glitter)
- Replacing plastic carrier bags with recycled paper bags
- Using sustainable cleaning products.
However the audit showed that there was much more to do. A more strategic approach was needed to find solutions to problems such as reducing the amount of plastic used in the process of sorting, storing and transporting donations.
Outcomes
The hospice developed “The Sustainable Seven”: a framework of seven areas, each with its own measurable goals. This allows Royal Trinity to monitor progress and identify which areas need further improvement.
In total there are 24 goals. The framework clearly sets out how each goal will be achieved, by when, and why this is important.
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The Sustainable Seven
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Actions include:
- Moving all fleet vehicles from diesel to electric
- Reducing unnecessary van and stock movements.
- Conducting all business travel on public transport where possible and investigating the possibility of electric bikes for people who need to travel between shops.
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Actions include:
- Sourcing and introducing reusable or biodegradable bags for stock transfer.
- Sourcing and introducing biodegradable or recyclable alternatives for clothes tags, vinyl gloves, tape and bubble wrap.
- Introduce a minimum spend of £100 on orders of supplies, to reduce unnecessary transportation and packaging.
- Investigate alternatives to plastic Gift Aid fobs.
- Source shop fittings which use sustainable or recycled materials where possible.
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Actions include:
- Ensuring shops have separate, clearly labelled bins for waste and recycling.
- Investigating the most disposed of items and research companies that collect non-commercially recyclable materials in bulk.
- Sourcing reconditioned appliances.
- Repairing rather than replacing broken appliances and donating items to repair shops/repair cafes if they are no longer required.
- Ensuring any equipment at the end of its life is disposed of responsibly and recycled where possible.
- Investigating the possibility of introducing electronic till receipts.
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Actions include:
- Promoting repairing and upcycling to encourage sales of not quite perfect items.
- Providing sewing kits to shops to make small repairs before items are put out for sale. Partnering with local tailors to offer discounts which are promoted in store.
- Using clearance outlet to sell lower value items and surplus stock.
- Only using TRUST certified recycling merchants
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Actions include:
- Only using recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper for all printing.
- Streamlining paperwork where possible.
- Increasing the number of Gift Aid letters sent via email and using an external mailing company that is on track to be carbon neutral by 2024 to send out Gift Aid letters. Introducing tablets to eliminate the need for paper Gift Aid forms.
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Actions include:
- Investigating how to reduce energy consumption, for example by improving heating and cooling appliances in shops and using motion sensors on lighting in back-of-house areas.
- Seeking professional advice on how to reduce energy consumption.
- Switching to green energy tariffs as they come up for renewal.
- Using only LED lighting.
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Actions include:
- Setting up a Sustainability Retail Working Group with champions in key areas.
- Including sustainability in induction training and as part of company ethos.
- Providing regular updates on progress against sustainability goals.
Facilitators, challenges and advice
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Key facilitators
A number of the hospice’s shops are in a concentrated area of Central London, which includes the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
Taking time to think through all areas of the operation, including the environmental and transport challenges of being based in this area, has helped them create a holistic, end to end plan.
Challenges
Some of the products that were needed as part of the sustainability plan were not readily available. Royal Trinity Hospice has worked with its suppliers to design and deliver new products that meet their objectives.
Tips and advice
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Form a working party made up of a diverse group within your organisation and be open minded to the opportunities.
Getting buy-in from all your stakeholders, including trustees, the Executive Board, managers, volunteers and the wider team is critical. Make sure everyone understands the vision and impact of the plan.
It’s essential to provide regular updates on your progress and make sure to celebrate all your wins!
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