Throughout the past 20+ years, we have created meaningful change in over 30 countries.
In the UK alone, we have united close to 700 organisations.
We have multiple international pacts and partnerships, and we work with governments and governmental organisations around the world.
We’re known for delivering value and impact for our funders with significant return on investments made with us.
We also have a history of empowering citizens to take action — creating real, sustainable behaviour change in the communities we work in, with and for.
Future-proof food
We are working from farm to fork, leading the way in tackling food loss and waste, reducing GHG emissions and water use. WRAP is adapting and scaling its industry-wide voluntary agreements — such as The Courtauld Commitment 2030 — internationally to help transform the global food system.
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World leading food waste voluntary agreement
Since 2005, our UK food waste voluntary agreement, the Courtauld Commitment, has catalysed action in food waste manufacturing, retail and households leading to food waste in the UK falling by over 10%. That’s nearly 1 million tonnes of food saved.
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Selling fruit and veg loose
Discover how our ground-breaking research into the removal of plastic packaging from fruit and veg, a simple change to date labels and correct storage advice for citizens is catalysing industry action that could significantly reduce household food waste in the UK.
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Reducing supply chain food waste
Over 360 food and drink organisations have signed up to our Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. And between 2007 and 2021 supply chain food waste has fallen by 20.7%.
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Leading action on food redistribution
WRAP’s work with UK food businesses and redistribution organisations has meant that between 2015 and 2018, approximately 170,000 tonnes of surplus food was received by redistribution organisations, equating to 400 million meals with a value of more than £590 million.
Prevent problem plastics
WRAP has a proven track record of dealing with plastic pollution at pace through Plastic Pacts. In 2018, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched the UK Plastics Pact. Six years later, a dozen Plastics Pacts in 19 countries form a global network with a proven track record of progress towards eliminating plastic waste and pollution. WRAP heads up the operational support for all Plastics Pacts internationally.
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Driving systemic transformation in plastics
For almost 20 years, WRAP has been working on solutions to the harm caused by problematic plastic packaging - from our pioneering work on recycled plastic in bottles in 2004, closing the loop on plastic milk bottle recycling in 2005 to launching The UK Plastics Pact with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2018.
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Global action to prevent problem plastics
Our global network of Plastics Pacts are driving large-scale impact, eliminating billions of problematic plastics, improving reusability and recyclability by 23%, and boosting recycled content in packaging by 44%.
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The trailblazing UK Plastics Pact
UK Plastics Pact members are responsible for over 75% of all consumer plastic packaging placed on the market in the UK. Between 2018 and 2022, members of the Pact have removed 730 million single use plastic items from circulation.
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Multi-million pound funding tackling plastics pollution globally
With funding provided by Innovate UK, WRAP worked with in-country partners to distribute funding and share expertise to accelerate innovation to tackle the plastic pollution crisis in India, Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Mexico, and Colombia.
Transform textiles
To meet global climate, water and waste targets, we’re working to transform the way that clothing and textiles are produced, used and disposed of. WRAP’s voluntary agreement Textiles 2030 is uniting the sector behind bold science-based targets. Our world-leading research, findings and initiatives are helping to shape a more sustainable future for textiles.
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Uniting behind bold, science based targets
62% of the UK clothing market is now signed up to ambitious targets under Textiles 2030. Together they are taking action in the areas of designing for recyclability, circular business models, closing the loop on materials and encouraging behaviour change.
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WRAP’s pioneering work on clothing durability
WRAP’s work on durability has been pioneering over the last decade. Through our Clothing Longevity Protocol and our collaboration with the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) on the Durability Research Project as part of Textiles 2030, we have transformed the fashion industry's approach to product design.
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Laying the foundations to transform textiles
90 pioneering brands, retailers, re-use, and recycling organisations, academics and innovators who were part of WRAP’s Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP 2012-2020) together achieved a 21.6% reduction in carbon and 18.2% reduction in water.
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Tackling clothing sustainability across Europe
ECAP was one of the first EU LIFE funded projects to address clothing sustainability across the entire supply chain. Through the project, 834,000 tonnes of CO2e and 50 million m3 of water were saved, along with 4,670 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill.
Accelerate the Circular Economy
WRAP is working to accelerate the shift to a circular economy — keeping products and materials in use for longer, supporting innovation, adopting new business models and increasing the quality and quantity of recycling.
Recent initiatives in this area include:
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Leading the way in Wales
Wales now rank second highest in the world for their recycling rates. Together, we have avoided hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste, whilst generating hundreds of new, sustainable jobs.
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Driving up recycling rates
Through WRAP’s Recycling Tracker, we know that 88% of UK households regularly recycle. Find out how we are changing citizen behaviour to drive up recycling rates through our Recycle Now and Be Mighty campaigns.
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Service change solutions
WRAP’s collection options modelling helped officers from N.E. Lincolnshire Council change to an alternate week collection which resulted in an 18% reduction in residual waste alongside a 50% increase in dry recycling.
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The Resource Action Fund
With the fund provided by Defra, WRAP distributed £18 million proving, expert support across 296 organisations in the areas of food, plastics, textiles and waste infrastructure helping divert over 180,871 tonnes of waste which is estimated to avoid over 395,228 tonnes of CO2e emissions.
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Join us in leading the change
We believe in the power of working together to create long lasting change.
Work with us as we lead the way to building a more sustainable future.