Challenge150

Increasing our efforts to make a difference around the world
Challenge150

Thanks to the support of our customers and the unprecendented success of our 2021 campaign, we’re proudly launching Challenge150 for 2022.

During 2022, we aim to deliver 150 School in a Box shipments of reusable furniture and equipment to support schools and charities in need around the world.

This ambitious target equates to over £3.9 million (fair market value) of equipment, or a retail value of £27.3 million. If you have an office clearance project you need managing or a cause to be considered, we’re calling on businesses and charities to join us.

How Challenge150 Works

Challenge150 Launch

Proudly launched on Charitable Radio in December 2021, we’re inviting businesses with office clearance project needs to join Challenge150 in 2022. We’re also inviting charities and schools who have a need for equipment to contact us.

MANAGED ETHICAL CLEARANCE

We ethically manage the removal of redundant office furniture and equipment from businesses, placing all reusable items into our redistribution pool.

school in a box

We match items with recipient schools and charities around the world through our ‘School in a Box’ programme. Items are then sent to live a second life supporting young people from disadvantaged communities.

sharing the story

We share the impact each donation to Challenge150 will make to the young lives it impacts and continue to encourage businesses to handle their unwanted furniture in a corporate social responsible manner.

What is School in a Box?

School in a Box (SIB) is the international programme Waste to Wonder embarked upon in 2003. Since it began, we’ve sent hundreds of 40 foot containers filled with used office furniture and equipment donated on behalf of our customers, from their ethical clearance projects.

Every item donated through the Waste to Wonder process is sent to our redistribution pool. We match them to schools and charities in need around the world and have achieved staggering results. In total, we’re proud that over 1,000 schools in 23 countries have been supported so far.

Watch our video for the impact of 2021’s Challenge100 campaign.

WATCH OUR CHALLENGE100 CAMPAIGN IN 2021

THE NUMBERS

2020 Results

47 SIB Donations

We were able to send 47 School in a Box containers filled with reusable furniture.

£1.25 million FMV

We achieved a Waste to Wonder record fair market value of goods redistributed during 2020.

2021 Results

100 SIB Donations

We successfuly doubled the results of 2021 and sent 100 School in a Box containers.

£2.5 million FMV

We doubled the fair market value of goods redistributed on 2020, making a substantial difference to disadvantaged young people.

2022 Targets

150 SIB Donations

We aim to increase our efforts by 50% and deliver 150 School in a Box containers.

£3.9 million FMV

If Challenge150 is completed, we will set a new record and successfully redistribute more than 2020 & 2021 combined.

CASE STUDIES

VIEW OUR WORK IN ACTION

100% Reuse Achieved on AXA’s Ethical Clearance Project

AXA are one of the oldest insurance companies in the world and have been supporting families for other 300 years. Coincidently, Waste to Wonder were recently tasked with the ethical clearance of 300 seating positions from their offices in Stockton.

100% Reuse Achieved in 50 Tonne Domestic and General Ethical Waste Clearance

For over 100 years, D&G have been the trusted provider of aftercare for millions of domestic appliances. We were thrilled when our partner, CBRE tasked us with the ethical clearance of their Wimbledon site.

100% Reuse Achieved for CBRE & IBM

In this project, Waste to Wonder was able to deliver a dual site clearance of over 6,000 items. We achieved 100% reuse, saving considerable disposal and environmental costs, which has created a wonderful CSR legacy for CBRE and IBM.

A Letter from Head Office

Following the tremendous success of Challenge100, I’m delighted to be launching Challenge150 for 2022. In a year of a global energy crisis and rampaging extreme weather, challenging the perception of waste within the business world has never been more important.

As businesses have come to terms with the change in workplace environments due to the pandemic, there are vast amounts of office furniture that faces the prospect of no longer being required. This holds the potential for a lot of ‘waste’.

The ‘circular economy’ is a term few of us had heard of 5 years ago. Now, as a business owner, it’s much more likely to be on your radar. For decades, waste management has been linear. In other words: things are made, things are used, things get discarded.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Or rather, it shouldn’t be this way. That’s why circular waste management recognizes that there is no “away” and why we created the School in a Box initiative for this exact reason.

If you decide to donate your redundant furniture and equipment to Challenge150, we will carefully sort the items in our redistribution pool, package them into 40-foot containers, and match them with schools, charities, and training centres, who are in desperate need of the equipment, around the world.

People in developing countries enjoy your freely donated unwanted furniture in newly furnished classrooms, community centres, training centres, hospitals, orphanages and more. The generational impact on these communities is substantial.

So if you have a clearance need, we invite your to help us make a difference and leave a legacy for years to come.

Michael Amos

Michael Amos, Director of Waste to Wonder

How Businesses Can Get Involved

Through our ethical clearance process, you can reduce costs, save environmental impact and actively demonstrate your commitment to CSR.

From your perspective, it’s as simple as instructing any clearance provider, except you achieve fundamentally better results and get to be part of an international redistribution programme. Speak to our team today.

How Charities Can Get Involved

We continually search for charitable causes to partner with and add to our Waste to Wonder redistribution pool.

Whether you’re a school, an education setting, a social enterprise or a vocational training centre, we’d love to hear about your work and welcome you to our redistribution community for Challenge150.

Find out more