Fill Refill - 2023 impact report review
There’s a lot to love in this report from Fill Refill, a zero waste closed loop refill company that sells household cleaning products (for you and your home).
One of the things that stands out is how human and engaging it is … whilst also being full of detail and data. At times I felt like I was just having a chat with Phil (their CEO who wrote the report)!
👍🏻 Three things I like:
1. DECISION MAKING CRITERIA & RED LINES
They have a clear red line “we don’t compromise on closed loop, no matter what”.
I love it when purpose-led businesses have red lines to guide decision making. Even more so when they share them publicly.
I also liked their “12 guiding principles for responsible formulation chemistry”.
2. EXPLAIN DATA USED
For the data they share and statements they make, they explain their approach to sourcing and calculating the metrics, as well as any assumptions. There are footnotes throughout the report so it doesn’t interrupt the flow.
3. ONGOING INNOVATION & IMPROVEMENT
There are lots of examples of how they are constantly trying to get better and better, reducing their negative impact and increasing their positive impact, often going far beyond what’s required by law. Their attention to detail shines through.
For example, they are piloting a new on-site wastewater treatment system to reduce / eliminate the amount of product that goes into the drains at the factory.
❓Three questions it raises:
1. WHAT’S THEIR BHAG?
I’d like to see a long term vision. Do they have a ‘big hairy audacious goal’?
2. WHAT ARE THE TRENDS IN THE REFILL MARKET?
A few refill shops near me have closed recently – is this a trend?
How have refill trials in supermarkets gone? Could they enable refill to become more mainstream?
3. WHAT HAVE THEY LEARNT ABOUT CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS?
What have they learnt about closed-loop systems / circular business models that they could share with others?
We need to move from linear to circular models and businesses like Fill have a wealth of valuable knowledge to share.
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You can read the report for yourself here and let me know what you think.
If you’re preparing to write your own impact report, you might find my FREE Impact Reporting Roadmap helpful: