Work inc are breaking up with trash

The business who can’t stop talking trash

Amidst a sea of green-washing and insincere attempts of organisations trying to appear to be doing better, Work inc are acknowledging they weren’t doing enough, and look at them now! Their last email subject line resonated with us so much we had to share - ‘It's All About The Long Game.’

Work Inc has declared a break up with trash through a coordinated response, starting their ‘Trash Talk’ campaign. Their Brand Manager Britt Davidson says it’s a “movement driven by Work inc towards more sustainable practices and away from trashiness (the bad kind).” Best of all they plan to yell from the rooftops about what they’re doing and what users should be doing. Because, after all, only problems that are acknowledged can be changed.

Before we talk more about their great work let’s get to know Work inc better, they’re a boutique coworking space in North Sydney providing a mix of shared and private spaces for their clients. Coworking spaces are a unique challenge when it comes to recycling because unlike traditional offices where people visit everyday traffic can be more transient. But we think they have it sussed.

Tinder for bins?

I think the first way to generate intrigue is to bring up tinder in the workplace, so their recycling posters are a swipe right for us. Honestly look at them:

A long term relationship is blooming

Work inc has reported that just 6 months into their trash talk campaign and 3-bin system they’ve had to double the collection of organics, recycling rates have doubled too and landfill has halved.

Britt says that the change hasn’t only come from their community but from inside the Work inc team, who were pushing for the company values to be more heavily reflected in their actions. Britt believed that “slowly but surely, Work inc will set the standard for coworking spaces serving mindful, sustainable, and giving enterprises.”

Work inc are the first Australian company to feature Method's 60L and 20L bins, the 60L bins are in all of their shared kitchens, the most used common areas. While the 20L bins are in their reception area and their permanent desk areas removing individual desk bins. There are so many factors to consider but it's a slow but steady transition but they're already seeing an impact.

More than recycling bins Work Inc have looked at ways they can reduce single-use waste entering their doors in the first place. Such as, using paper-wrapped toilet paper with a purpose from Who Gives a Crap, who spends 50% of their profit to build toilets!

Finally, we love that they’re addressing the fact that recycling is confusing and helping their followers to understand the jargon in the recycling space. Such as this section from their latest email: