Market Intelligence Report
February 2024 Newsletter
A debrief highlighting the most important, impactful and interesting topics affecting the sector.
A debrief highlighting the most important, impactful and interesting topics affecting the sector.
ISB Global and SAP Collaborate to Drive Innovation in Environmental Industries
We recently had the pleasure of hosting SAP’s Industry Business Unit team for Utilities in London and joined forces for a productive two-day workshop, fostering collaboration and exploring the future of software solutions for the waste management, recycling, and environmental sectors. The workshop proved to be a breeding ground for valuable discussions and we look forward to continuing a strong partnership and translating these discussions into tangible solutions.
Learn more about the workshop →
ISB Global Update Success Stories Brochure
ISB Global has updated the Success Story book to give an overview of some of the reference customers using Waste & Recycling One.
“ISB Global creates and maintains strong relationships with its global business partners and customers. We do this with the vision and commitment to achieving the joint objective – efficient, sustainable digital transformation as an alliance. Implementing Waste & Recycling One with our customers and partners with a mission to deliver the most advanced business management software technologies as an enabler for growth, establishing self-sufficiency, total control of operations and continual improvement.”
Circular – Two thirds of councils not confident they can fund Simpler Recycling food waste collections
“The District Council Network (DCN) survey, which was completed by 99 of its 169 member councils, showed that councils anticipate an average shortfall of at least £210,000 to fund the new vehicles and containers required to introduce food waste collections.
This shortfall excludes the capital cost of investing in new or expanded depots which the government has indicated it will not fund, the DCN said.
When asked what the biggest barriers to implementing the reforms by the government’s deadline of 1 April 2026, 48% cited difficult procurement timelines, 44% cited the “complexity of arrangements” with county councils to dispose of new material, and 41% cited contract renegotiations.
46% of councils told the DCN they are confident they would be able to provide the new services to flats or remote properties by April 2026. The DCN said that many respondents indicated that, until full government guidance is released, they cannot plan how they will deliver services to these properties.”
Circular – The UK will establish the world’s first United Nations-backed International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management in the Circular Economy
“The centre will also draw heavily on the success of several of the partner institutions in the National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) research and development programme, a four-year £30 million investment established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ chief scientist in 2019 under the UK Government’s Strategic Priorities Fund.
In July 2023, the UK government announced new plans setting out its long-term aim to use fewer new resources, drive up the repair and reuse of existing materials and increase recycling. The programme – Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste – brings together a range of measures backed by government funding which will help to keep products and materials in circulation for as long as possible and at their highest value, including through increasing reuse, repair and remanufacture, helping to grow the economy and boost employment.”
Edie – Report: UK energy firms risk diverting £115bn overseas due to poor green policies
“This according to a report by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), comprising 300+ members overseeing more than £19trn in assets globally. UKSIF surveyed 100 business decision-makers within the UK energy sector, collectively representing a turnover of £700bn, to gauge their perspectives on the current opportunities and obstacles to decarbonising the UK energy system.”
Keep Britain Tidy – Better communicating the Waste Hierarchy & waste prevention – webinar and report
“Designing better, insight-led communications, that increase understanding of waste prevention, is an essential part of facilitating the take-up of these behaviours.
Join KBT at 11am on Tuesday, 5 March for a webinar exploring how to tackle the public’s fundamental misunderstanding of waste prevention. Register now to learn more and get involved.”
World Economic Forum – Manufacturers – The Circular Economy strengthens supply chains, here’s how
“Through recycling, part harvesting and remanufacturing, repair, refurbishment and re-commerce circular economy principles can reduce dependency on scarce resources and component suppliers, building adaptable and resilient supply chains.
For manufacturers, this means ensuring parts and materials within their control never unintentionally exit their sphere of influence. By retaining control over the lifecycle of products, materials and components, manufacturers can prevent resource loss, ensure efficient reuse, enable capitalization of circular practices and reduce their environmental impact.”
UNEP – Report: “Beyond an age of waste: Turning rubbish into a resource,” Global Waste Management Outlook 2024
“With municipal waste set to rise by two thirds and its costs to almost double within a generation, only a drastic reduction in waste generation will secure a livable and affordable future, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.
Titled “Beyond an age of waste: Turning rubbish into a resource,” the UNEP Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 (GWMO 2024) provides the most substantial update on global waste generation and the cost of waste and its management since 2018. The analysis uses life cycle assessments to explore what the world could gain or lose through continuing business-as-usual, adopting halfway measures, or committing fully to zero waste and circular economy societies.”
Friends of the Earth – Lord Deben intervenes in climate High Court legal challenge
“Former chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), Lord Deben, has made a dramatic intervention in the High Court by providing a witness statement in support of Friends of the Earth’s legal challenge against the government’s climate strategy, which is currently before the court.
The High Court is hearing three separate (but related) legal challenges – brought by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and The Good Law Project – to the government’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP), the country’s economy-wide decarbonisation plan.
The three organisations believe that the CBDP, which was adopted in March 2023, fails to properly account for how it would meet the UK’s domestic climate targets, as required under the Climate Change Act (CCA). Friends of the Earth’s challenge also refers to the absence of sufficient information on how the UK’s 2030 target – its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) adopted under international law – will be met.”