Biffa launches Feminine Fit PPE range - Biffa
Women in waste

Biffa launches Feminine Fit PPE range

5 Oct 2021
3 mins
Industry News
Corporate
Health and Safety


Biffa, the UK’s leading sustainable waste management company, is launching its own, ‘Feminine Fit’ Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) range.

Biffa launches Feminine Fit PPE range

Biffa, the UK’s leading sustainable waste management company, is launching its own, ‘Feminine Fit’ Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) range. In an effort to increase inclusivity and diversity in the industry, a design has been tailored in partnership with Swift 360, to fit the female body shape whilst still providing the right level of protection.

The idea behind the range came through Biffa’s Women in Waste (WiW) group, set up to understand the barriers women face in the workplace and better attract, support and develop female roles at Biffa. The group, started in 2020, has over 150 members.

Jane Pateman, HR Director at Biffa, commented: “Traditionally PPE is designed for men, which was one of the issues raised in our first WiW meeting. By introducing our ‘Feminine Fit’ range, we can meet the needs of our whole workforce, ensuring we support diversity and inclusion across the business.”

PPE is critically important for the safety of front-line workers, protecting them from injury. As a group, refuse collectors were called out as everyday heroes and recognised as essential workers for their efforts during the pandemic, supporting communities and keeping streets clean.

Biffa is committed to creating an inclusive environment in the work place, and its WiW group has also started other initiatives to make sure the business supports all its staff members, including a mentoring programme, specifically for women.

Biffa has set itself a target to increase the diversity of its workplace, including a higher percentage of women in senior management roles by 2025. Throughout the next year, Biffa will be delivering diversity and inclusion training to all frontline employees, whilst setting inclusion objectives to drive accountability and instill inclusive mindsets.

Abigail Levy, Key Account Manager at Swift commented: “Women’s PPE has been a passion project for us and we feel privileged to collaborate with a customer who is at the forefront of inclusivity and diversity. It has been a pleasure to work with Biffa so closely on the Feminine Fit Range, sourcing and developing products specifically for their employees. We look forward to further supporting Biffa with these important next steps towards equality in the workplace.”

-ENDS-

Enquiries: 

Media

Houston

0204 529 0549

biffa@houston.co.uk


About Biffa 

We’ve been leading the UK’s waste management industry for over 100 years and have a strong track record of growing our profits and returns to shareholders, whilst reinvesting to grow our business.

Today Biffa is an established enabler of the UK circular economy and our team of more than 10,000 colleagues carry out essential operations every day including surplus redistribution, recycling, treatment, energy generation, collection and disposal.

Our purpose is ‘to change the way people think about waste’ and sustainability has been at the heart of our business strategy for many years. Our areas of focus essentially reflect the waste hierarchy – to Reduce, Recycle, Recover and Collect.

We have already made huge strides in our sustainability journey by investing in surplus redistribution, plastic recycling, energy from waste infrastructure and low carbon collections, leading to a 70% reduction in our carbon emissions since 2002. Our sustainability strategy, ‘Resourceful, Responsible’, will see us unlock £1.25bn of investment in vital green economy infrastructure by 20301, of which £1bn has already been unlocked, while further reducing our carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. We aim to have net zero emissions by no later than 2050.

We understand that we must lead by example and are committed to further improving health, safety and wellbeing in our sector. We are proud to have been awarded a 5 star grading by the British Safety Council. We have also made strong progress in making sure Biffa is an inclusive place to work where diversity is championed and our >9,000 strong workforce feel valued and understand the positive contribution they make to enabling the UK circular economy.

Our long-standing Biffa Award programme supports sustainable projects across the UK which deliver environmental benefits while making a valuable contribution to local communities. Our partnership with WasteAid helps countries in the developing world with managing their waste more sustainably.

Biffa is a Great British Company, listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:BIFF) and a member of the FTSE 250.

Women in waste

Women in waste