Waste management and energy consumption

We are doing this by using a green energy supplier, focussing our procurement towards environmentally friendly options where feasible, and implementing a comprehensive recycling scheme across all sites.

London Remade

As technology has advanced over the years, Radio Taxis has kept up with the times and the company always uses the most advanced systems to save time and increase efficiency. In 1997 a technological move was made towards the use of satellite technology and GPS (Global Positioning System) enabling Radio Taxis to track vehicles at any given time in any location. As a result standard radios were no longer in use and the firm had to dispose of 1,000 units.

Throwing the components away was not an option, so Radio Taxis contacted London Remade, in the hope that there would be a way to dispose of the radios responsibly. London Remade is an innovative programme that uses recycling as a vehicle to drive economic and social regeneration delivering green procurement and business support programmes.

Through its Materials Service, London Remade was able to assist with Radio Taxis’ plight. The service aims to facilitate matches between suppliers and users of recyclable materials in London and focuses on materials for which no end market is currently contracted. Radio Taxis objective was to encourage the agreement of medium to long-term contracts to create stability and enable growth of recycling collections. The electronic matchmaking service put Radio Taxis in touch with Maxitech.biz, a social enterprise that re-uses and refurbishes redundant electronics equipment and provides training to the unemployed and disadvantaged.

As a result of the relationship, the refurbished and re-used radios will divert just over 2 tonnes of waste from landfill sites. The task facing Maxitech.biz now, is to find a buyer, and any profits generated will be used to improve future services such as training staff.

Peter Paduh, Maxitech.biz said:

"With technology improving day by day, organisations are updating their systems more frequently. Electrical and electronic equipment that may have become redundant for one organisation can be refurbished and may be just what another organisation is looking for. The introduction to Radio Taxis has been very beneficial in the longer term too as they will contact us when any further equipment is disused."

Michelle Nunan from Radio Taxis said:

"The Materials Service has been of great benefit to us, we have been able to source new suppliers we otherwise would not have had access to. We had previously tried, but failed to locate a cost effective and efficient supplier to dispose of our radios, so finding Maxitech.biz is fantastic."

Radio Taxis joined the London Remade program in spring 2005 as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme. The company is currently signed up to level B2 of the Mayor’s Green Procurement Code; this is the highest level there is. Radio Taxis is committed to recycling wherever possible and to purchase recycled products that are of comparable quality and price.

Having implemented a green procurement policy throughout the group, Radio Taxis is now setting targets and collecting data on all green purchases. This will enable the company to participate in the 2006 Green Procurement Code Awards, presented by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingston.

For more information visit www.londonremade.com