Since founding his firm a few years ago, Mariusz Jancewski and First Call Flooring Ltd have been fully committed to spreading the Recofloor message through their website or word of mouth to training the fitters they use.

1: Why do you think flooring companies should care about sustainability?

I think it’s important in the flooring industry we are in. If we all recycle our clean vinyl offcuts, this will dramatically reduce the amount of waste transferred to landfill sites and incinerators, which can only be good for the environment. Recofloor is a great scheme that helps us to do this.

I think it’s a pivotal part of our trade now. Customers ask us all the time what we’re doing about sustainability.

2: How did you first get involved with Recofloor personally?

We’ve always known about the Recofloor scheme and were aware that 3D Flooring in Bristol is a drop-off site. As a fresh business, it was something we were keen to do as it makes sense. If the customer sees that you’re taking material away for recycling and doing something good as well, it’s a no-brainer.

3:  What type of projects have you used Recofloor for?

At first, we started off doing smaller jobs. Now, after three years as a growing company we are taking on bigger projects such as £150k hospital refurbishments where we recycle all the offcut materials.

4: How does being a Recofloor member help you promote First Call Flooring?

We promote Recofloor in the course of our work and this has encouraged the people we work for to join the scheme because they’ve been impressed. When you take a Recofloor bag, people who’ve not seen it before are interested, and participating is good for their company as well.

5: How do you encourage your team members and fitters to make use of the scheme?

It’s probably been a lot easier for us because when we started up three years ago, we didn’t have many staff so we could just implement the scheme ourselves. As more people started working for us, using the scheme is just an every day thing.

As well as training our own fitters in how Recofloor works, we help to get fitters who have started up their own companies get involved in the scheme. We also promote the scheme to customers we have worked for to sign up so they, in turn, can tell their customers.

6: Your nominee won the Recofloor best newcomer award. Can you tell me a bit about him and why it is so important for younger businesses to get involved?

Mitchell, from Rome Flooring Ltd, is 29 and has been in flooring for nine years, which is nearly as long as Recofloor has been going and in that time, he has been dedicated to the Recofloor scheme.

He set up his company, Rome Flooring Ltd, last year and promotes the scheme to all his customers and fitters. He has also worked for me, and he shows the same commitment that we have to the scheme. He had the right mentality, we encouraged him to join the scheme and now he is recycling everything.

I feel young people coming through the industry and starting up a company with the principle of promoting the Recofloor scheme is the future of the Recofloor brand and he is a very worthy nominee.

7: What else do you do to promote Recofloor?

We promote it on our website, but I think it’s also good that people see the scheme ‘in action’. I think that’s how it’s helped to grow our company. When you’re taking the bags and people see that you’re taking the time to pick up the right material and put it in the bag, that helps to inspire them and spread the word.

8: Do you find people have any particular concerns about joining Recofloor – if so, how do you reassure them?

No, every single person that we’ve helped has gone on to join the scheme. The scheme can only do good. The people that we’re talking to want to make a successful business, it’s the people that show an interest.

9: What’s the best thing about using Recofloor?

I think it’s grown now. There’s nothing bad about it; it’s recognised in our industry now. If you can do it right and you use the scheme regularly, you’re always going to spread the word because people are interested in it.

10: Can you think of anything we could change that would make Recofloor even better?

I think you’re always doing promotions and always publicising it in your own way. So, I think carry on doing what you’re doing. It’s talked about more than ever.