Serco Group PLC

International service company Serco take the first step…

Before working in partnership with ACM, Serco were working in the UK with multiple service providers to manage their waste streams, making costs and recycling rates difficult to control Furthermore, as the company operates in a number of different sites, their environmental performance became an increasingly important factor as well as meeting new legislation.

Serco sites working with ACM to implement change

As Serco operates various different business sectors and over 55 sites such as UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites, HMP Prisons, and Leisure centres, Serco needed to ensure that the appropriate security protocols and vetting procedures (e.g. DBS Checks) were in place.

Onsite operational issues, such as the containment and management of waste over a variety of waste streams meant that ACM were the ideal environmental partner with their all-inclusive one-stop-shop solution.

Serco Limited invited ACM to tender with the key objective to gain better MI data, drive change and to drastically increase recycling levels whilst complying with Serco’s security protocols and procedures.

After Serco have collaborated with ACM Environmental, we have identified an excess of 15 waste streams across all sites, with more being identified as we take on new sites. This allows us to separate each waste streams to optimise recycling rates as well as gain rebate from the materials which carry a financial value.

ACM provides Serco with an improved waste management service to increase recycling rates, improve waste collection service levels, reduce costs and help demonstrate that Serco are in control of their environmental impact in relation to waste.
This was specifically required to help them with their ISO 14001 accreditation and meet their Corporate, Social & Environmental Responsibilities. ACM were also able to accommodate to Serco’s needs by implementing a strict vetting procedure that ensured that all drivers and staff relating to this contract were security tested and duly authorised.

The introduction of state of the art waste and recycling technology quickly and efficiently resolved some of the onsite issues (such as wind scatter, encouragement of vermin and odour issues.). These key modifications by ACM caused a ripple effect throughout Serco’s sites, drastically reducing the frequency of waste collections required. The reduction of waste collections and related haulage mileage created immediate positive environmental impact as well as significant cost savings and promote overall productivity.

A range of environmentally focused projects were introduced on many Serco sites based on the size of each site, the existing waste levels and accessibility, as well as several key CSER considerations. A new de-watering system represented a major change within Serco’s sites, reducing the volume of food waste by approximately 35%. After careful examination from ACM, individual sites have different interventions and ACM have implemented systems for the segregation of food waste for recycling. High performance baling technology has also been utilised by baling recyclables on Serco sites which has helped optimise recycling levels and in turn financial rebates.

All of these changes have helped bring the client to Zero Landfill.

Helping Serco work towards a circular economy

Our improved, environmentally compliant and co-ordinated waste management solution has further provided Serco Group with significant cost savings as well as progressing the group up the Waste Hierarchy.

Continued innovation, training, and re-development of environmentally focused projects has resulted in a improvement in their re-use and recycling levels, and Serco sites working with ACM to achieve an incredible 100% diversion of waste from landfill.
When Serco Group had originally invited ACM to tender, their main objective was to increase their recycling levels. Not only have ACM succeeding in assisting Serco accomplish this, but they have also provided significant cost savings, minimising their environmental impact and carbon footprint.

The current breakdown of end-point disposal for the Serco Group is as follows: 0% Landfill, 66.27% Recycle, 33.73% Recovery for Energy