Sustainability

Purposeful Merchandise

The afternoon session kickedoff with inspiring repurpose company, AGood Thing. Co-founder RichardBenwell explained to delegates theroleunwanted and surplus goods can play in changing lives, and importantly avoiding landfill. Setting up AGood Thing several years ago,the companywas bornout of a distinct need foralocal charitywhich wasstruggling withoutdated laptops and matching withacompanywho had high spec laptops whichhad reached the end of their useful lifeintheir business but were aperfect solution foracharity

Workingout that therehad to be a greatway to match thoseunwanted goods to acharitywho couldmakeuse of them,AGood Thing wascreated. Presenting arange of examples where unused promotional merchandise had gone on to have considerable impacts withcharities all over thecountry, Benwell explained theprocess wassimple and it wasfreetotry forany business.

Beforethe end of his talk, several members in theroom had signed up and theorganisation had already receivedoffers of goods. Using theapp businesses simply createaprofile and explain what goods areavailable and arematched withcharitieswho could makeuse of them.Offering adiscount forfurtheruse of the app beyond afirst try, Benwell found theapproachand enthusiasm in theroom to indicate the desiretoadopt arepurpose policyinthe industry.AGoodThing had already made manynew friends at theConference.

Recycling Reality

Staying on therecycling trail, founder of wasteaggregator First Mile’s Bruce Bratley deliveredastark view on recycling promotionalgoods. Speaking in general termsabout thetypical types of recycling his business sees, he chargedthe members in theroom to take moresteps towards helping end users recyclethe types of goods produced. Challenged by some attendees on theviews shared, companies suchasSenator,Bag Co and First Editions discussed theways in whichtheir companies had already