Sodexo team recognised at Green Can Awards

A team from Sodexo has been awarded an Every Can Counts, Green Can Award for the implementation and success of a drinks can recycling programme introduced at military bases across the South and South West.

The team of 12 from Sodexo’s defence business, known as the Go Green Team, are environmental volunteers who inspire their colleagues and customers to segregate waste resources.

The Go Green Team are ambassadors for Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan (sustainability roadmap to 2020) a part of which aims to reduce the environmental impact in the areas where Sodexo operates and to engage the local communities.

The drinks can programme came about when one of the volunteers spotted an Every Can Counts collection box and knowing the high volume of drinks cans which the military bases sell arranged for the collection boxes to be introduced at all sites in the region.

The Go Green Team organise Waste Not roadshows at the sites which Sodexo deliver catering retail, leisure and cleaning services. The interactive roadshow includes pop up panels to educate and engage both Sodexo’s employees and the armed forces community at each site.

The roadshows also include examples of items which have been made from recycled material which helps bring to life how different objects can be recycled and remodelled to become other useful items. Items include the Sodexo fleece which is made using recycled plastic bottles.

The ‘Rubbish Bin Quiz’ is a fun interactive part of the roadshow with those taking part who answer the question correctly receiving a pencil made from recycled CD cases or a pen made from corn starch and wood powder.

The team will receive framed certificates for each of the ten sites, a hamper of aluminum packaged goodies and will feature in Alupro’s (aluminium packaging recycling organisation) upcoming edition of its ‘CanMail’ magazine and on the Every Can Counts website.

Andy Leach, CEO for Sodexo Defence, UK and Ireland, said, “Well done to the Go Green Team. Over the last year the team has been working hard to communicate the benefits of recycling to our employees and our military customers. They have come up with some great ways to engage people in to thinking about what they can recycle and the impact it can have on the environment. The team is incredibly committed to supporting our Better Tomorrow Plan and we are immensely proud of them receiving this award.”