When faced with the clearance of floors of furniture prior to a relocation, one of New Zealand’s oldest institutions had to make some hard decisions.
Knowing it was worth little on the second-hand market, the questions were then, was it a cost-effective option to employ an already busy staff member to clear it?
How many charities and schools would it take to deplete the pile? And would the stake-holders’ conscience sit well should anything be sent to landfill?
Avelle Interiors was an existing supplier of new furniture to the organisation and had a new service, Re:Direct.
And it’s that service that removed an enormous problem for the client and turned it into opportunities for a multitude of others.
With Re:Direct, the furniture, fittings and equipment are checked fully in terms of condition and quantities, and then in conjunction with the client’s own relocation time-line, the items are removed from site and delivered to locally based charities, and approved organisations, schools and clubs.
Working with a registered New Zealand charity, Re:Direct ensures the bare minimum of goods get to land-fill.
“There’s a readily growing list of groups that we know are waiting for the obvious desks and chairs, but also things like screens, tops and lockers are needed” says Re:Direct project manager Wendy Martin.
“We’ve re-purposed what may seem the oddest of items and we’ve seen individuals given employment opportunities they wouldn’t have necessarily had otherwise,” she says.
A new project has Re:Direct clearing 63 containers for a client, each of 20 cubic metres.
As each container is checked by Re:Direct staff, it’s then cleared and distributed.
“To date this project has seen over 24 tonnes of items removed with absolutely nothing going to landfill and as well as all the good this client has done, they have the added benefit of reducing storage costs,” Wendy explains
At the completion of a Re:Direct project a full outline of what’s been taken and where is given to the client.
“Love What You Do is a report of the people and groups that have been on the receiving end of what had begun as a logistical nightmare.
“The client then gets to share that information with staff and stakeholders and when everyone can see the good that’s resulted it’s an enormous boost to all of them.”
While companies contact Re:Direct for help, Wendy Martin believes the best point to begin is with the project architects and designers to ensure the most efficient workflow and least interruption to a client’s productivity.
“If we can be involved in the planning stages, it’s the ideal point to identify any furniture relocation problems and our solutions.
“And if we’re able to let charities and groups know what’s potentially available, then it helps them in forward planning.
“Re:Direct is such a simple, transparent way to help a huge number of people, and help companies and institutions reach sustainability goals.”
Contact: Wendy 021777438
