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Veolia continue to provide reliable services and develop innovative solutions

Posted: 10th December 2020

Despite 2020 presenting us with hurdles to overcome which would have been unimaginable twelve months ago, Veolia is ending the year on a positive note. Versatility and resilience have been crucial for us all this year, and have been particularly important for us as we have continued to provide reliable services and develop innovative solutions.

This year has seen us deploy Impact 2023, one of our latest sustainability strategies which, following on from the 2 million tonnes of reclaimed material already being used, sets out our aim to expand our pioneering new technologies that lower resource use. With a planned multi-million pound investment, this adds to the £2 billion already invested in new infrastructure across the UK, and will enable us to continue achieving significant recycling firsts.

2020 has been a significant year for making process with recycling, as also this year UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) announced £20 million of funding to help the UK develop revolutionary new plastic recycling systems. One of the projects to secure funding was Veolia’s collaboration with Unilever, Charpak Ltd and HSSMI. The innovative new facility will be the UK’s first dual PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) bottle and tray recycling facility, and will be capable of recycling 100% of clear rigid PET in a closed-loop system.

Veolia has also seen new innovative solutions this year in other areas crucial to the business, as we have adopted the SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network) technology. Building on the connectivity services already provided by Vodafone Business, the technology can provide greater flexibility and control of our IT infrastructure. This in turn can help Veolia UK and Ireland run a more streamlined, efficient service, enabling our customers to have a more seamless experience.

This year has seen progress and developments in all areas of the Veolia Group. This includes the Veolia Environmental Trust, which has recently awarded £600,000 to the Woodland Trust to help create the Northern Forest, a huge tree-planting project which will stretch from coast to coast benefitting around 13 million people.

We have continued to offer support and guidance to all of our customers as they have navigated the challenges this year has presented, and have enabled many to instil a more circular economy within their business. An example is retail chain Selfridge’s, who we have helped turn waste into a resource by using coffee cups in the production of their iconic yellow carrier bags.

Looking ahead to 2021 and beyond, it will be important for all of us to think about a green recovery as we move out of the pandemic. As we also move closer to impending deadlines such as the introduction of the Plastic Packaging Tax and the legal Net Zero deadline of 2050, it is crucial for us all to embed sustainability and innovation in everything we do.

Business Comment

Business Comment is the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s bi-monthly magazine. It provides insight on Edinburgh’s vibrant business community, with features on the city’s key sectors, interviews with leading figures and news on new business developments in the capital.
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