Social and Ethical

The aim of Biffaward is to support schemes and projects that will be of lasting environmental benefit by improving community facilities in areas where Biffa is operational and by accelerating sustainable waste management practices.

The guiding principle behind Biffaward's strategy for giving is 'sustainability', a concept embracing social, economic and environmental factors. As defined in the Brundtland Report, sustainability is 'A process in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and institutional change are all in harmony, and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations'.

Biffaward specifically aims to promote sustainability by considering projects that fall into the following two areas:

Sustainable Waste Management

The generation, collection and disposal of waste impacts on the natural environment and can create social and economic problems. Sustainable development requires waste issues to be addressed by everyone and at each stage of the waste cycle. For example specific waste streams such as organics or glass; industry sectors such as construction or food retail; and other producers of waste such as the general public.

To address these problems, Biffaward will consider funding projects that have the main objective of reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill under the following categories:

Research and Development

Research into specific waste streams or industry sectors that seek to reduce the amount of material sent to landfill. Research into finding cost effective solutions to reduce, recycle or reuse reclaimable materials. Researching the logistics of materials waste streams.

Education

Initiatives that raise awareness about waste issues in general and that promote waste reduction, recycling and reuse.

Waste Minimisation

Innovative ways of dealing with recycled or reused goods or materials. Also under the heading of sustainable waste management, Biffaward recognises that there is still much research needed into the logistics and technical aspects of operating landfill sites. The Board has agreed to contribute to the Environmental Services Association Research Trust (ESART) to address this need in part, but there will be occasions when the Board will consider other research projects that will also benefit the waste management industry as a whole.

Improvement of Community Facilities

Biffaward will consider projects that have the common aim of improving the built or natural environment for the benefit of communities that are within the vicinity of a Biffa operation and have public access.

Under the Landfill Tax Regulations site-based projects must be within 10 miles of a landfill site. In addition, Biffaward will consider projects that are within five miles of a Biffa operation, as long as they comply with these criteria, under the following categories:

The Built Environment

Improvements to churches and other structures that are of historical or architectural importance and the provision of community centres and village halls.

The Natural Environment

Provision or improvement to public open spaces such as parks, footpaths, play areas and nature reserves.

Contact Name

Andrea White - Biffaward Fund Manager RSNC
Telephone 01636 670000
Email: awhite@rsnc.cix.co.uk
Web: www.biffaward.org


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