Partnering with Paint360 for social enterprise growth
This year we continued our partnership with the social enterprise Paint360, a family run social enterprise business based near Birmingham who provide environmentally friendly recycled paint, whilst creating jobs for young people who are ex-offenders or long-term unemployed in the Black Country, home to higher than average levels of economic deprivation.
What did we do?
Waste paint is received from household waste recycling centre at a transfer station based in the West Midlands, recycled, re-engineered and sold in the UK. Paint360 help us meet closed loop recycling targets and reduce carbon outputs. Every litre of paint bought from Paint360 saves 1.3kg’s of embedded carbon from affecting our environment. In addition, in the last seven years, Paint360 has created jobs for 34 young people who are ex-offenders or long-term unemployed in the Black Country.
In 2019, Amey purchased circa 10,000 litres of recycled paint from Paint360, for use on its prisons, MOD and Schools contracts across the UK - saving 13.16 tonnes of CO2- a good foundation for growth.
As part of Amey’s ambitious social enterprise spend targets, we have recognised a need to support social enterprises to either establish, diversify or grow. At the same time, we recognised a potential barrier in small-to-medium size social enterprises growing into national organisations. In progressing our partnership with Paint360, we identified an ideal opportunity to develop our relationship for mutual benefit.
To kick things off we drafted a partnership agreement that sets out what we both are seeking to achieve – for Amey this was about increasing our spend with Pain360, with the aim of them being our preferred paint supplier across our operations. For Paint 360, this was about sustainable growth, with access to advice and guidance regarding planning and permitting, communications, marketing and innovation. In setting our objectives, we established regular meetings and governance to check in on progress – supported by a dedicated Amey project manager.
What impact did this have?
采取这种合作方式使following activities to be progressed:
- Following a trial of Paint360 products at HMP Holme House – one of 61 sites managed on behalf of HMPPS across the North East, North West, East, West Midlands and Wales - Paint 360 will be the sole provider of paint for its prisons Clean, Rehabilitative, Enabling and Decent programme. This programme sees prisoners gain painting and decorating work experience alongside Amey maintenance teams, whilst improving wellbeing and developing skills for future employment opportunities. With every 1 litre of our paint produced saving enough embedded carbon to drive a transit van 5 miles carbon free, the first 14 prisons, have seen a saving of 26 tonnes of CO2
- We have trialled the use of Paint360 in the houses we maintain for the MoD housing contract, and likewise have sent paint samples for trialling in our Schools FM contracts. Our ambition remains to use Paint360 products across all contracts where painting and decorating services are required.
- Through the management of our Household Waste Recycle Centres such as on the Isle of Wight, Amey is providing source paint to Paint360. This commence in November – in January alone 3240kg of product was distributed for recycling.
- Paint360 plans for growth include the consolidation of their Midlands sites, bringing the existing transfer site and production facilities under one roof. To support with this, the Amey Consulting team supported Paint360 in their Permit & End of Life Application, required for submission to the Environment Agency.
- Paint360 invested in a new barrel washer – installed in November, that can wash a week worth of barrels in 3 hours. Amey engaged with their partner – Manufacture Technology Centre, to help Paint360 assess new machinery requirement and offer a best value solution.
- As part of the partnership, Paint360 will also be supporting Amey to provide future work experience opportunities to prisoners released on ROTOL who have taken part in the CRED programme - with a view to these becoming full time upon release.
“I have had the privilege of conducting our business with Paint360 over several years. During this time we have established strong and efficient working relations and implemented using their products throughout our country wide Prison sites. Paint360 offer a large selection of environmentally friendly products at competitive prices. Lee Cole and his team are always willing to advise and assist myself and my staff with any queries and their professionalism and service are commendable.”Craig Hunter, MOJ Swansea