Inverclyde business recognised at VIBES 2022

Greenock based Trade Right International – Redeem Exchange has been recognised for its efforts to reduce plastic waste going to landfill at the 2022 VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.

The company was commended in the Product or Service Scotland category at the annual event in Glasgow on Tuesday 1 November. 14 award and commendation winners were announced, whittled down from 45 finalists from a record breaking 422 entrants across Scotland.  

 The Redeem Exchange offers an innovative, cost-saving and environmentally friendly solution to reduce plastic waste going to landfill through a simple collect, wash, refill, and return service for plastic hand sanitiser bottles. By introducing a circular economy approach, they can extend the life cycle of the plastic bottles by up to 50 times.

 Trev Gregory, CEO of Trade Right International – Redeem Exchange, said:

“We are excited, proud, and humbled to receive this year’s Vibes commendation for Product or Service Scotland. This is a triumph of a small social enterprise dreaming big dreams.

“Our team have worked tirelessly to launch, develop, and build the Redeem Exchange initiative and are grateful to an army of people, supporters, and businesses who have made this all possible.”

VIBES is a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot. 

Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, addressed the award ceremony and said:

“The VIBES awards are a fantastic demonstration of the work that businesses all across Scotland are doing to protect our environment and tackle the climate crisis. I would like to congratulate all the winners and I hope they will offer inspiration and ideas to other businesses looking to make their work more sustainable.”

Since 1999, VIBES has recognised more than 270 businesses championing sustainability and taking steps to protect the resources of our planet. Their dedication and action, from increasing recycling to supporting active travel, has been at the forefront of tackling climate change.    

Franceska van Dijk, Deputy Chair of SEPA and one of the head judging panel of this year’s awards commented:
    
“Scotland is famous for its culture of innovation, making it ideally positioned to play a leading role in the journey to a more sustainable, low carbon future.

“We all have a role to play in tackling climate challenges, and it’s particularly significant for businesses. From creating innovative services and products to partnering with suppliers and supporting customers, all our entrants demonstrated a commitment to making the environment a key factor in decision making.”    
 
Gillian Bruce, Chair of VIBES, added:    

“Every year, we see more and more businesses and organisations who are working towards net zero carbon emissions, which is a challenging but necessary journey.   
  
“This year’s VIBES winners are clearly demonstrating business cases for reducing their environmental footprint – highlighting the social benefits, as well as the positive economic impacts. We hope the efforts of our winners will encourage and inspire others to develop their environmental practices.”  

More information is available on the VIBES website.