Our thinking

A million pound challenge

26 November, 2021

Are you a waste-watching wizard, a takeback trailblazer or a resource regenerator? If so, the John Lewis Partnership wants to hear from you!

In partnership with Hubbub, the John Lewis Partnership is launching a £1 million fund to support trail-blazing projects that give waste a new life, shift consumer attitudes or behaviours on waste, or develop new circular business models.

Charities, Community Interest Companies, social enterprises, academic bodies and start-ups can apply for grants of between £150,000 and £300,000. They’ll also receive a year of support from Hubbub to help make their project a success. And the results will be shared across the industry to help others learn from, and build on, their experience.

As well as reducing waste within their operations, shifting the world from a throwaway mindset to embracing repair and reuse will require businesses to look beyond their own four walls. This fund builds on internal waste and circularity commitments, such as making sure that all John Lewis product categories have a ‘buy back’ or ‘take back’ solution by 2025, and helps to move the whole industry forward.

So if you’re ready to rethink waste, you can find out more about the fund and apply here

By Sarah Howden