Ten Scottish organisations have today (22 April) been awarded with the Revolve reuse quality standard, aimed at ‘improving professionalism, customer experience and visibility’.
Delivered by the Community Resources Network Scotland (CRNS) on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland, Revolve incorporates the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model and a retail-focused improvement programme, which includes training in retail merchandising and customer service.
According to Zero Waste Scotland, Revolve was created to raise awareness of the country’s reuse sector and to ‘increase shoppers’ confidence in buying previously-owned goods’.
It intends to boost the performance of the reuse sector in Scotland through ‘improving professionalism, customer experience and visibility’.
Giving items a longer life
Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland presenting Michelle Wylie, Home from Home Dumbarton with Revolve accreditation.
Speaking about the newly-accredited organisations at an awards ceremony today, Director of Zero Waste Scotland Iain Gulland, said: “Reuse provides enormous benefits to the environment, giving items a longer life and diverting tonnes of valuable materials from ending up in landfill.
“Revolve aims to lead a change towards a sector of customer-focused organisations selling high-quality products, and increase shopper’s confidence. This is vital if we are to make the best possible use of the resources we have.
“These organisations are fantastic examples of how this funding can help kick start this change in perception of reuse and we’re looking forward to assisting more organisations to receive accreditation.”
Accreditation process
To achieve the Revolve standard, companies must pass two stages of the accreditation process: an entry stage, to check that the organisation is legally compliant and has assessed all risks; and a six-month accreditation stage, ‘focused on improving customer experience and making [the] organisation more robust’.
Only after achieving the EFQM Committed to Excellence award (validated by Quality Scotland), participating in the Revolve retail programme and passing a retail audit, is the organisation accredited.
Companies that receive the standard will be given use of Revolve product standards, promotion on the Revolve website, and access to the Revolve brand (supported by a Zero Waste Scotland national communications campaign), which together are meant to provide ‘ increasing customer confidence’.
Accredited companies
Recyke-a-Bike in Stirling, Spruce Carpets in Glasgow and New Start Highland in Inverness were amongst the companies honoured at an awards ceremony in Stirling today (22 April), along with existing accredited organisations.
To date, a total of 12 organisations have received the standard. These are:
1. Blythswood Care
2. Furniture Plus
3. Edinburgh Furniture Initiative
4. Home from Home
5. HomeAid West Lothian
6. Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health Recycle
7. Midlothian Advice and Resource Centre
8. New Start Highland
9. The 2ReUse Project in Peterhead
10. Recyke-a-Bike
11. Spruce Carpets
12. Tayside Re-use Centre
Registration for the next round of Revolve accreditation is now open to 10 more organisations. Expressions of interest must be received by Revolve by 26 April.
Read more about Revolve.
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