Green-Works is an award winning social enterprise and registered charity dedicated to helping the environment by diverting redundant office and school furniture from landfill by providing reused and remanufactured furniture to small business, charities, schools and community groups whilst providing training and real work experience to the unemployed.

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What our Clients say

Eversheds 

International law firm is working with Green-Works to in order to distribute its furniture to disadvantaged people in Africa. We are really pleased to be teaming up with Green-Works in what is a highly commendable charitable initiative that will help those in need in Sierra Leone and Ghana. We hope that this move will go some way to benefiting the people in some of the most deprived areas. Eversheds is committed to promoting environmental good practise and the partnership with Green-Works is a fantastic way for us to put our old office furniture to good use, rather than sending it to landfill.
Steve Butts, Head of Corporate Responsibility.

 

Parliamentary Works (Furniture) Department

"The eyes of the world are obviously on the British Parliament and the way we work. We therefore have to be very conscious about the way we buy and dispose of furniture and equipment. In recent years it has become more difficult to sell 'surplus to requirement' furniture by public auction, which has meant we have had to look for alternative means of disposal. We have now been working with Green-Works for about 2 years and in that time has disposed of between 20 and 30 loads of office furniture. After some early teething problems relating to delivery and payment we have now settled into a comfortable working relationship with goods being delivered in by our removal contractors Bishops Move and Swift and French."
Parliamentary Works (Furniture) Department

 

Dunlop Africa Marketing (UK) Ltd

There were many items to be removed, including some of a very heavy nature, and these had to be hand carried down two large flights of stairs as there are no lifts in the building. The gentlemen carried out the work in an exemplary manner. They were polite and cheerful at all times. There was absolutely no disruption to our operations and all areas were left clear and tidy upon completion.
P. McDONAGH Commercial Manager
Dunlop Africa Marketing (UK) Ltd

 

Reading Borough Council

"Reading Borough Council considers it is important that we lead by example for sustainability and responsible disposal of waste and unwanted items. Green-Works are the ideal solution for the disposal of our unwanted office furniture as it is all reused or recycled. We have used Green-works for the Council's Big Clear Out in 2006 and to clear redundant furniture when vacating office space in 2008.  In both cases Green-Works were able to fit collection times into our tight timetable and staff were always friendly, efficient and helpful." Reading Borough Council.

 

HSBC   

Colin Crooks the CEO approached HSBC 18 months prior to the consolidation of 8500 staff and 13 key city offices into one site in Canary Wharf. The move would leave the bank with 3000 tonnes of redundant office furniture comprising 7000 desks and workstations.

The simplest and most cost effective solution would have been to send the furniture, equivalent to 178 double decker buses, to landfill. But our core values, indeed our own staff would not have accepted this wasteful and environmentally unfriendly option. It was the best use of the furniture for the benefit of others. It was not only an environmental success that delivered jobs and employment in a deprived area but the banks chairman and CEO were right behind the project
Peter Bull, Community Group Executive HSBC

"Through Green-works [HSBC] have found an innovative solution to ensure our furniture will be put to good use."
Nic Boyde, Head of Administration HSBC

 

Rio Tinto

As a company we find, mine and process mineral resources. We became a Green-Works member in 2007 to ensure that their redundant office furniture was diverted from landfill. Green-Works received over 138 tonnes of furniture from us. We are committed to implementing the principles of sustainable development and Green-Works is a great fit! We were keen to learn more about Green-Works overseas support of communities. It's funny thinking that our chairs could end up somewhere like Sierra Leone. The more big businesses get involved in this the better!
Sean Jones, Facilities Manager, Rio Tinto

 

BT  

BT engaged Green-Works to clear a total of 275 tonnes of redundant furniture, some of which went to schools and community groups overseas in Ghana. This project also enabled Green-Works to provide employment or training opportunities for five young people who were either long term unemployed or offenders.
Gillian Burdis, Corporate Responsibility Manager

 

Diageo  

Diageo is the worlds largest premium drinks company and therefore has huge office furniture logistics to deal with. Green-Works provide an excellent ongoing service. They have responded to all our requirements and enabled Diageo to support our community partners with the minimum of fuss.
Amanda Bowman, Head of Community Affairs. (former)

 

DEFRA

Sustainable development cannot be imposed from above. It will not take root unless people across the country are actively engaged. How inspiring therefore, to have examples such as Green-Works. This really is sustainable development in action!
Margaret Beckett, (at the time Secretary of State for DEFRA (Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Extract from the foreword to the Governments Annual Report (2001) on sustainable Development.