Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ

Introduction

NEWydd Catering & Cleaning has worked in partnership with Arrow County Supplies through the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖCommercial Delivery (WGCD) framework to unlock rapid access to sustainable suppliers, driving significant environmental and operational benefits while aligning with Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖpolicies.

NEWydd, part of Flintshire County Council, provides catering and cleaning services to over 200 sites, including schools, care homes, and public buildings. As a Local Authority trading company, sustainability is a key priority for NEWydd, aligning with the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ Government’s environmental and zero-waste objectives.

Through the procurement of cleaning supplies via the WGCD Framework, NEWydd accessed market-leading sustainable products and received expert support from Arrow County Supplies.

Arrow worked closely with NEWydd to assess their needs and align their operations with the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ Government’s Sustainability Agenda – focusing on reducing their environmental impact while maintaining high performance standards. Key challenges identified included:

• Use of toxic chemicals with negative impacts on biodiversity and recycling
• Over-dosing of cleaning products, leading to unnecessary waste
• Single-use plastic packaging conflicted with zero-waste goals

Framework-enabled sustainable solutions

Working with the NEWydd cleaning team, Arrow introduced a range of innovative environmental solutions, tailored to NEWydd’s requirements:

• Green Care® Chemical Range: Cradle-to-Cradle® Gold-certified products that are 100% plant-based, biodegradable, and fully recyclable.
• Quick & Easy Dosing System: A sustainable alternative to single-use plastic trigger sprays, eliminating overuse and waste.
• Onsite Training and Support: Ensuring cleaning staff could adopt the new methods confidently and efficiently.

Implementation and impact

Arrow’s WorkSmarter programme, supported by the WGCD framework, included a comprehensive review of NEWydd’s cleaning operations. A 4-week trial of the Green Care® range at two schools demonstrated:

• Improved cleaning performance, especially in high-traffic areas.
• Reduction in chemical use and associated waste.
• Positive user feedback on the ease and safety of non-toxic products.

Achievements

Within 12 months of full implementation, NEWydd achieved:

•    275 KG CO2 savings
•    39 KG plastic savings
•    88 KG crude oil savings

“Sustainability is really important to us, especially as we work in schools where students are highly aware of environmental issues. Arrow has been amazing. They’ve helped us rethink the way we operate and create a truly eco-friendly cleaning service.

Rob Lawton, Operations Manager

For further information, contact commercialprocurement.peoplecorporate@gov.wales