We are delighted to announce a partnership with Workwear Express, one of the UK leading providers of workwear. The agreement delivers significant operational efficiencies and provides another step in reducing the impact of our supply chain on greenhouse gas emissions. Reviewing the environmental impact of our partners and suppliers across Scope 3 is critical to reach our ambitious target of a 42% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Andy Rae, operations director, said: “Workwear Express offer National Windscreens valuable operational efficiency and environmental benefits. The National Windscreens team need uniforms that are practical, durable and reflect the high standard of our brand so finding a workwear partner who can deliver to our exact requirements is very important, especially with over 600 technicians working across the UK.
Workwear Express share our ambitions of National Windscreens regarding sustainability
“Workwear Express deliver directly to our fitting and distribution centres which negates the need to hold large quantities of stock, and we only order what we require. The efficiency and just in time delivery is perfect for our national coverage and ensures the team receive their clothing when needed,” said Andy.
Craig Gibson, ESG manager, comments: ‘Workwear Express share our ambitions of leading its own industry in sustainability. The textiles industry has gained a poor reputation because only 1% of clothes are being recycled effectively, with 60% of t-shirts entering landfill within 12 months. This makes partnerships with like-minded partners such as Workwear Express so important as a way of reducing our environmental impact and ensuring the team is smartly dressed in durable clothing.”
“Assessing the impact of Scope 3 is very rare in the aftermarket vehicle glass industry and includes consideration of emissions from glass manufacturing and movement, employee commuting and policyholder travel to the fitting centre network. Workwear Express are one of many partners across our supply chain who share our passion for the environment, and we are happy to be working with them to further optimise our service,” said Craig.
The level of the commitment to sustainability shown by Workwear Express is further demonstrated through its use of distribution partners such as DPD and Zedify.
DPD is quickly building the largest all-electric delivery fleet in the UK, with over 1500 electric vehicles in operation. Meanwhile, Zedify is an eco-friendly courier service that specialises in sustainable and efficient deliveries with e-cargo bikes, focusing on providing zero-emission deliveries. The Bristol-based business operates a fleet of cargo bikes that produce 90% fewer carbon emissions per parcel compared to electric vans.
When clothing and textile items have reached the end of their lifecycle, Avena Environmental collects the items from Workwear Express and takes the items to be recycled. If the garments are in a good condition, the material is used for the future manufacturing of other clothes and textiles. The secondary option is to recycle the materials for use in insulation, geotextiles and partition walls. If these two options are not possible, the material will be chipped and melted to create polyester fabrics or used for energy.
Nicola Bulch, senior manager at Workwear Express, comments: “At Workwear Express, we are committed to making a positive impact on the environment and supporting our customers in their sustainability journey.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Avena, a leader in recycling solutions. Together, we are taking steps to ensure a greener future by recycling branded clothing. We’re excited to have National Windscreens on this eco-friendly journey,” adds Nicola.
Andy Rae concludes: “The sustainability programme at National Windscreens is dependent on working with environmentally conscious suppliers. Improving our operational efficiency whilst reducing emissions creates a win-win situation for the team.”