Axil wins Commonwealth award after generating £32m in social value
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 25 August 2026
UPDATED: 25 August 2026
UK waste management company recognised in Glasgow for demonstrating how everyday operations can create measurable social, economic and environmental impact
Axil has been named a winner of the Commonwealth Environment & CSR Awards 2026 after demonstrating how waste management operations can generate measurable social value alongside environmental and economic benefits.
The award was presented in Glasgow on 31 July 2026, alongside the Commonwealth Games 2026 programme.
During 2024-2025, Axil generated £32 million of measurable social value through its waste and resource management operations across customer sites, of which there are 700.
Rather than treating social value as a separate CSR programme, Axil has embedded it into everyday service delivery and has been demonstrated in the following ways:
Social Value - How have we helped to generate it?
- More than 1,100 charities and voluntary organisations benefited from the redistribution of surplus goods and materials.
- At the time of submission, over 65,000 products into reuse and redistribution, thousands of which contributing with a proxy value.
- Items that may previously have been treated as waste were instead redirected to organisations capable of putting them to productive use, extending product life while supporting community needs.
- Paid volunteering programmes enabled employees to contribute directly to local initiatives, schools and community projects.
- Partnerships with VCSE organisations created opportunities for individuals from marginalised backgrounds to access employment and develop valuable workplace skills.
What the stats say
- £62,000 worth of in-kind goods donated and in monetary donations
- Millions generated through local employment and employee retention
- £21 + million generated through spend with local companies
- 71 paid hours of support into local community projects
- 81 weeks of upskilling employees through accredited training
- 66 hours of employee volunteering for VCSE’s
These stats, don’t only show the positive impact we are having on work culture and across customers sites, but also of the positive economic impact we are having by engaging with local suppliers, SMEs and VCSE’s.
The project challenges the traditional way waste management is measured, where performance is often focused on cost, compliance and tonnes of waste handled.
The concept of creating Social Value is not new, and by no means does the impact created solely rely on the actions of the business. Through collaboration, recognising value and developing a network within the communities in which we operate, we can integrate ourselves as thought leaders in Waste Management.
Axil’s approach demonstrates that sustainable waste management can create wider value for communities, local economies and the environment, while helping organisations better understand the impact generated through their operational contracts. The value in commodities doesn’t stop after one useful life, we want our customers, communities and stakeholders to be thinking about how their assts, materials and products feed into the Circular Economy.
Iona Bereford, Sustainability Manager, said:
“The £32 million shows that value is already being created through everyday operations. The opportunity is to recognise it, measure it and make sure it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
The Commonwealth Environment & CSR Awards recognise organisations making a meaningful contribution to environmental sustainability, social responsibility and community impact across the Commonwealth. The 2026 ceremony brought together organisations in Glasgow to recognise practical action and measurable impact.
Axil will continue expanding its social value measurement, reuse and redistribution activity, alongside community, skills and workforce development initiatives.
