A campaign to inform, inspire and empower workplaces to recycle

From 6 April 2024, a new law came into effect in Wales requiring all businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to sort their waste for recycling, just as households already do. The Welsh Government needed a national campaign to raise awareness, drive behaviour change, and help workplaces prepare.

Wales leads the UK in domestic recycling and ranked third globally. The challenge was to turn that national pride into workplace action, across every sector, size, and setting. We needed to reach senior decision-makers and employees with a message that was clear, inclusive, and empowering.

We created a bold, unifying campaign that positioned workplace recycling as the next step in Wales’ sustainability journey. Built around the EAST behavioural model, our strategy focused on:

• Connect: build mass awareness through public-facing media.
• Engage: deliver sector-specific guidance and support.
• Empower: share success stories and practical tools to drive action.

We launched a phased campaign six months ahead of the law change, combining ATL bursts with targeted digital and stakeholder outreach. We brought the campaign to life with:

• Visual identity: quirky, uplifting, patriotic, and sector-specific visuals captured the individuality of Welsh businesses, from cafés and construction sites, to offices and community centres.
• Storytelling: real businesses sharing their recycling journeys.
• Educational layering: clear, accessible messaging on how to comply.
• Campaign hub: a central resource for guidance and tools.

The campaign reached audiences through TV, radio, digital, OOH, direct mail and SMS, supported by partnerships with WRAP and Natural Resources Wales.

The results exceeded expectations:

• 88% awareness among SMEs (target: 80%).
• 97% awareness in public and third sectors.
• 75% of SMEs and 90% of public/third sector felt prepared.
• 76% of SMEs and 88% of public/third sector supported the law.
•  70% of respondents said they now recycle everything they can.

‘Workplaces of Wales. Let’s get it sorted’ became more than a campaign — it inspired action. From small cafés to large organisations, workplaces across Wales took pride in recycling right, proving that collective effort can drive real environmental change. Together, we’ve set a new standard and taken another step toward becoming the world’s #1 recycling nation.