The initiative, driven by national charity Keep Britain Tidy, will run from 22 March – 23 April and include around one hundred CCEP volunteers, who will join a taskforce of around 500,000 ‘litter heroes’.
In total, CCEP will take part in approximately 40 clean-up events – ten of which will be run nearby the business’ manufacturing sites and offices (from East Kilbride and Edmonton, to Nottingham and Sidcup), with a further 30 events being run by CCEP employees in their local communities. Many of these employees form part of CCEP’s network of ‘sustainability champions’ – an internal team dedicated to driving positive environmental change up and down the country.
CCEP says it is committed to reducing waste and helping keep the streets, rivers and beaches of Great Britain litter-free. As set out in the business’ Sustainability Action Plan, titled ‘This is Forward’, one of CCEP’s prime goals is to work with local and national partners to ensure that 100% of its packaging is recovered so more can be recycled and none is littered.
To further support Keep Britain Tidy in reaching its target of 500,000 volunteers, CCEP is therefore empowering its partners and customers to get involved this year. As part of this, the business is offering 200 free clean-up kits to its independent customers, with a further 400 kits being funded and distributed to participating SPAR stores. These kits include a guide to running a clean-up event, litter-pickers, gloves and hi-visibility vests, as well as customisable posters to publicise the event. As a result of this, over 300 stores have already signed up to take part in the initiative in their local areas.
As well as cleaning up litter from across the country, recycling is a key aspect of the Great British Spring Clean this year. CCEP is encouraging anyone taking part in a litter clean-up event to separate plastic bottles, cans and glass – where it is safe to do so – for recycling.
Lisa Foster, sustainable packaging manager at Coca-Cola European Partners said: “We’re committed to using our scale, reach and expertise to address the environmental challenges faced by today’s society. Partnering with likeminded organisations like Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) is a key part of this, and we’re proud to have first started working with the charity over 50 years ago, across a range of recycling and litter reduction initiatives and research.
“Having been involved in the Great British Spring Clean last year and witnessing first-hand the positive impact these clean-up events can have, we were keen to make this year even bigger and better. We therefore made it our mission to empower people across our entire supply chain – from our employees and leadership team to customers and suppliers – to become involved in local clean-up events. These collaborations are crucial for tackling litter in a meaningful way, and we’re looking forward to seeing our entire network come together for a great cause.”
Allison Ogden Newton, CEO, Keep Britain Tidy, said: “We are delighted that Coca-Cola European Partners and Coca-Cola GB are on board as partners for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, and that CCEP is supporting its network across the UK to get involved. By engaging its customers in the initiative, CCEP is helping us to reach new #LitterHeroes to take a stand against litter and help instil a greater sense of pride and empowerment within local communities. We look forward to seeing all of the volunteers in action and working together to make a positive difference.”
