Ambitious Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Achievement for Communications Co. on Earth Day

Trees planted in the City of Buckeye underwritten by Cox

Cox has announced the achievement of its ambitious goal to send Zero Waste to Landfill by 2024. Cox is the first U.S.-based, enterprise-wide service company to be verified by GreenCircle Certified as achieving a 92% waste diversion rate. This achievement meets Zero Waste USA’s definition of a zero-waste business.

“When our Chairman Emeritus Jim Kennedy set us on the path to zero waste, he did so because he knew it was a way we could positively impact our communities and our world,” said Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO, Cox Enterprises. “Since then, virtually everyone in our company has contributed in one way or another. Reaching this goal required us to make major shifts in how we do things, but we knew it was important for our planet and future generations. I want to thank everyone who helped — it all mattered, and it’s making a big difference.”

The zero waste achievement of 92% diversion is nearly triple the national average of 32%. Since 2013, accepting the challenge, Cox employees have kept more than 750 million pounds of waste out of landfills. That is the equivalent of 10 million reams of copy paper, organic waste equal to 60 million apples, and the same amount of metal used to build more than 4,000 vehicles.

In Phoenix, our area fulfillment center located at 102 West Watkins was the first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) zero-waste certified facility operated by Cox. The warehouse first earned the certification in 2018 and has successfully maintained its TRUE gold-level status each year. We also have 13 zero waste locations in Arizona diverting 90% or more of their waste from landfills.

• Cox provided a net benefit of $340 million to the business while reducing waste, working closely with recyclers and sustainability vendors to find new, innovative ways to eliminate waste and contribute to the circular economy.
• Cox’s Investment Recovery program, which was home-grown in Phoenix and now supports national operations, ensures that electronic and operational waste finds a second life through refurbishment, reuse, and responsible recycling, reducing costs and supporting the communities Cox serves.
• Since 2020, Cox has been on a journey to green its consumer packaging, transitioning to recycled content, soy-based ink, and curbside recyclable packaging.
• Partnering with a local non-profit, Cox awarded a $250,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, which installed solar panels at the Rosenzweig Boys & Girls Club branch in Phoenix.  With these solar panels, the Rosenzweig branch is saving money, conserving energy, and reducing the Club’s environmental footprint.  It’s also a visual reminder to neighbors, parents, and Club members of how we can include sustainable technologies to make a positive impact.

“Getting to zero waste would not have been possible without the dedication of each employee who not only helped us recycle in our offices but also found new ways for us to do business more waste-free, said Susan Anable, Phoenix Market Vice President adding, “Our Arizona employees have supported multiple changes big and small, ranging from conference room lights on motion detectors, to composting food and recycling nontraditional waste. We’ve come a long way since this project began in 2013!”

Cox recently partnered with the City of Buckeye, awarded a $5,000 donation to underwrite the planting of trees in a local city park. Black Canyon City will also be planting new trees in a public space thanks to a $5,000 donation from Cox.