Top Tips to Reduce Business Waste | IMSERV. 

By IMSERV Europe Ltd

From IMSERV’s Sustainability Lead, Kieran Schmid 

How can businesses reduce workplace waste and improve sustainability? 

Business waste impacts more than just the environment. Excess waste increases operating costs, negatively affects a company’s reputation and results in materials and resources being unnecessarily lost. Reducing waste and improving resource management is also part of businesses’ wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. 

But how best to reduce workplace waste?  Kieran Schmid, Sustainability Lead at IMSERV, explains how organisations can cut waste, improve resource management and build more sustainable operating procedures: 

• By understanding where waste is generated, 

• reviewing how materials and energy are purchased and used, 

• prioritising prevention, reuse, recycling and energy monitoring. 

These tips are particularly useful for facilities managers, sustainability leads, energy managers, as well as organisations looking to reduce business waste, improve commercial energy management and strengthen ESG reporting. 

1. Conduct a Waste Audit 

Top Tips 

• Identify when and where waste is most often generated. 

• Measure waste volumes, collection frequency and disposal costs. 

• Highlight quick-win opportunities for improvement. 

• Consider why waste is being generated, and sustainable alternatives. 

Why It Matters 

You can’t improve what you don’t understand. A waste audit creates a clear baseline to show businesses where resources are being lost, and which changes will have the greatest impact.  

2. Go Digital Where Possible 

Top Tips  

• Reduce paper consumption through digital workflows. 

• Use e-signatures and cloud storage. 

• Encourage digital collaboration. 

• Set printers to double-sided by default. 

Why It Matters 

Small changes to everyday processes can quickly reduce unnecessary paper, printing and storage. Moving suitable processes online can also make information easier to access and share. 

3. Improve Recycling Practices 

Top Tips 

• Provide clearly labelled recycling bins to make it easy for employees to separate waste. 

• Educate employees on recycling procedures to reduce contamination. 

• Partner with reliable recycling providers and understand what happens to waste once it leaves your sites. 

• Review whether additional waste streams, such as food waste or electrical equipment, need dedicated collections. 

Why It Matters 

Effective recycling relies on clear recycling processes and employee awareness to reduce contamination and help businesses manage their waste responsibly. 

4. Reduce Energy Waste with Better Energy Management 

Top Tips 

• Switch off lighting, heating and equipment when not in use. 

• Install motion-activated LED lighting. 

• Purchase energy-efficient appliances where possible. 

• Use energy data management tools to understand when and where electricity is being consumed. 

• Identify unnecessary out-of-hours usage, inefficient equipment and unusual consumption patterns. 

• Consider Sub-metering to allow visibility of individual areas, processes or equipment and help identify waste. 

• Turn consumption data into practical actions that reduce cost, waste and carbon impact. 

•  Speak to IMSERV about how sub-metering and energy data management can improve visibility, reduce waste and lower energy costs. 

• Invest in an Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) assessment where appropriate to help your business uncover new ways to reduce energy usage, increase operational efficiency and contribute to the UK’s Net Zero targets. 

Why It Matters 

Energy that delivers no useful output is a cost to both the business and the environment. Better visibility of when and where energy is being used can help uncover avoidable consumption and enable businesses to target improvements. 

Effective energy management gives organisations the evidence they need to reduce energy waste, improve operational efficiency and support ESG reporting. For multi-site businesses, energy data allows them to compare performance across locations, identify high-consumption assets and prioritise improvements where they will have the greatest impact. 

5. Optimise Inventory Management 

Top Tips 

• Use purchasing and usage data to avoid over-ordering stock. 

• Monitor stock levels, demand trends and product shelf life where relevant. 

• Redeploy unused materials or equipment elsewhere in the business rather than disposing of them. 

Why It Matters 

Over-ordering doesn’t just take up valuable space. It can leave businesses paying for materials that ultimately go unused. Better visibility of stock and demand helps businesses make fuller use of what they already have. 

6. Encourage Employee Engagement 

Top Tips 

• Train staff on waste reduction initiatives. 

• Create sustainability champions to maintain engagement. 

• Celebrate innovative waste-saving ideas. 

• Share progress and examples of successful waste-reduction initiatives. 

In Practice at IMSERV 

An employee highlighted the amount of waste created by cable-tie offcuts during field work. That prompted a review of materials, with shorter alternatives being tested to reduce unnecessary material use at source. 

Why It Matters 

Waste reduction works best when it becomes part of business culture. Employees are often closest to the processes where waste is created, so giving them the knowledge and opportunity to suggest improvements can uncover practical changes that might otherwise be missed. 

7. Reduce Packaging Waste 

Top Tips 

1. Review where unnecessary or excessive packaging materials are entering the business. 

• Ask suppliers whether packaging can be reduced, reused or returned. 

• Prioritise reusable or recyclable options, while avoiding single-use materials. 

• Consider packaging requirements as part of procurement and supplier reviews. 

Why It Matters 

Packaging is often designed before a product ever reaches your business, which means tackling it may require looking beyond your own bins. Working with suppliers to rethink packaging can prevent waste entering the business in the first place. 

8. Reuse and Repurpose Materials 

Top Tips 

• Donate unwanted furniture and equipment. 

• Repair equipment, furniture and other assets instead of replacing. 

• Redeploy surplus items elsewhere in the business. 

In Practice at IMSERV 

At IMSERV, old meter assets are returned and sent for recycling rather than being treated as general waste. This helps recover materials from equipment that has reached the end of its useful life and reduces the amount requiring disposal. 

Why It Matters 

An item that is no longer needed in one place may still have plenty of useful life left. Repairing, redeploying or reusing products supports a more circular approach to resource management. 

9. Set Waste Reduction Targets 

Top Tips 

• Set clear, measurable waste reduction goals based on your baseline data. 

• Track performance over time using consistent measures such as waste volume, recycling rates, disposal costs, energy consumption and carbon impact. 

• Share successes across the business. 

• Review and update targets regularly. 

Why It Matters 

Individual improvements are valuable, but measurable targets turn them into a longer-term programme. Tracking progress against a clear baseline helps businesses understand what is working, maintain momentum and demonstrate tangible progress towards their sustainability goals. 

Towards Smarter Waste Management, Energy Management and Sustainability 

Reducing waste is not just about what goes in the bin. It starts with smarter purchasing, better use of resources, stronger employee engagement and better data. 

Businesses that understand where waste is created can cut costs, improve efficiency and reduce their environmental impact at the same time. This includes physical waste, but also energy waste caused by inefficient equipment, out-of-hours consumption or limited visibility of how, where and when energy is used. 

The biggest gains often come from simple changes made consistently: measure what matters, prevent waste where possible, use reliable energy data to guide decisions and keep improving. 

IMSERV supports organisations with the energy intelligence, metering insight and energy management services needed to improve visibility, reduce waste and support ESG progress. 

Get in touch today to see how we can support your business’s ESG progression. 

---

FAQ

Why is reducing business waste important? 

Reducing waste helps organisations lower costs, improve operational efficiency, reduce their environmental impact and strengthen their ESG performance. It can also help enhance stakeholder confidence and support long-term sustainability goals. 

What is a waste audit and why should my business conduct one? 

A waste audit is a review of the waste your organisation generates. It helps identify where resources are being lost, highlights opportunities for improvement and provides a baseline for setting measurable waste reduction targets. 

What are the easiest ways to reduce waste in the workplace? 

Some of the quickest wins include: 

• Moving to digital processes where possible 

• Reducing paper consumption and printing 

• Improving recycling facilities 

• Encouraging employees to adopt sustainable habits 

• Monitoring energy use and reducing unnecessary consumption 

• Using energy data management to identify waste and improve efficiency 

How can digitalisation help reduce business waste? 

Digital tools such as cloud storage, e-signatures and collaborative platforms can significantly reduce paper usage, printing costs and physical storage requirements while also improving efficiency and accessibility. 

Have recycling regulations changed for businesses? 

Yes. Workplace recycling regulations in England changed in March 2025, requiring most businesses to separate dry recyclables, food waste and residual waste before collection. Organisations should review their waste management practices to ensure compliance. 

What role does energy management play in waste reduction? 

Energy waste is often overlooked but can have a significant financial and environmental impact. Monitoring energy consumption, identifying out-of-hours usage and investing in energy-efficient equipment can help businesses reduce unnecessary waste and lower costs. Energy management services can also help organisations turn energy data into practical actions that improve performance. 

What is energy data management? 

Energy data management is the process of collecting, organising, analysing and using energy consumption data to support better decisions. For businesses, it can help identify inefficient equipment, unusual consumption patterns, out-of-hours usage and opportunities to reduce costs and carbon emissions. 

How can better energy data support SECR reporting? 

Better energy data can improve the accuracy and consistency of SECR reporting by giving organisations a clearer view of their energy consumption and related emissions. This can support Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting, year-on-year comparisons and evidence-based sustainability reporting. 

How can energy data help with ESOS compliance? 

Energy data can support ESOS compliance by helping organisations identify where energy is used, where it may be wasted and which improvements could deliver the greatest savings. Half-hourly data, sub-metering and energy analytics can make ESOS audits more accurate and action plans more useful. 

How do waste reduction targets support ESG goals? 

Setting measurable waste reduction targets helps businesses track progress, demonstrate accountability and show tangible improvements in their environmental performance. Clear targets also help maintain momentum and encourage continuous improvement. 

What are the benefits of reducing waste for a business? 

Effective waste reduction can: 

• Lower operational costs 

• Improve resource efficiency 

• Support ESG objectives 

• Enhance brand reputation 

• Increase employee engagement 

• Reduce environmental impact 

• Improve energy efficiency and carbon reporting readiness 

How can employees contribute to reducing workplace waste? 

Employees play a vital role by correctly segregating waste, reducing unnecessary printing, switching off unused equipment and supporting company sustainability initiatives. Small changes across a workforce can have a significant cumulative impact. 

How is IMSERV supporting sustainability and ESG initiatives? 

At IMSERV, sustainability is an important part of our ESG strategy. We continually look for ways to improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental impact and support a more sustainable future across our operations and services. 

IMSERV also supports customers with energy intelligence, metering insight and energy management services that help improve visibility of consumption, reduce energy waste and support more confident ESG reporting. 

To find out more about IMSERV’s ESG commitments, sustainability approaches and energy intelligence services, visit our website or follow IMSERV on LinkedIn. 

Enjoyed this blog? Read more from the IMSERV team