Wales is a world leader in recycling, but there’s more we can do to realise the opportunities of a circular economy – and BITC Cymru is on 12 June convening over 100 Welsh businesses at its Waste to Wealth summit to plan the way ahead.

The summit will direct responsible businesses – both during the event and beyond – to sign up to its Waste to Wealth commitment.  The commitment requires signatories to set targets to improve their productivity, look at their use of resources and, crucially, collaborate, reconvene and report annually to ensure that Wales works as one on this vital initiative.

The event, held in partnership with Cardiff Business School and which was booked out just two weeks after it was announced, aims to inspire businesses to think ahead, to be inspired and to adopt a circular economy approach. Welsh Government is showing its support for the event with Hannah Blythyn AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, opening it.

Delegates will hear from experts from across all sectors, with speakers from Dŵr Cymru, Tata Steel, Bluestone National Park, Riversimple, Amgen Cymru, Repair Café Wales and Iceland, as well as BITC specialists including BITC Cymru director Matt Appleby.

Matt Appleby, Director, BITC Cymru said:

“Today’s Waste to Wealth summit is about our businesses here working in collaboration towards a more sustainable future Wales. Increasing numbers of Welsh companies of all sizes and from all sectors are looking for opportunities to work together, connected by their belief that the success of their business is inextricably linked to society’s wider prosperity.

While wealth-creation is, of course, a vital role of business in society, we can and should expect a wider contribution and an increasing commitment to a circular economy. And in turn, the more responsible your business, the more it will succeed commercially – consumers, suppliers and staff all increasingly expect it and favour companies who can demonstrate their social impact.

Accordingly, we encourage all those attending today – and others in due course – to sign the Waste to Wealth commitment”.

The first company to sign the commitment in Wales was Castell Howell Foods, whose CSR Managed Ed Morgan said:

“Environmental issues have never been as high on the public agenda and we hope that all businesses can work in collaboration, on a voluntarily basis, to reduce our impact on the environment. Doing nothing isn’t an option”.

Companies in Wales who have already signed the commitment include: Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd; Amgen Cymru, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Cardiff Airport, Cardiff Business School, Castell Howell Foods, E.G. Lewis Group, EDF Energy, Jehu Group, Repair Cafe Wales, Riversimple, South Wales Police and The Pure Option.