Executive Summary

• UK Power Networks has earned platinum certification for Zero Waste to Landfill after an audit verified by B Corp environmental compliance scheme and consultancy Beyondly
• The operator, which has sought to minimise sending recoverable waste to landfill by the end of 2025, has achieved a 99.4% diversion rate with streetworks waste included
• While some landfill is unavoidable due to regulation, UK Power Networks said it is going ‘beyond compliance to eliminate avoidable non‑hazardous waste wherever possible’

Electricity firm UK Power Networks has earned platinum certification for diverting 99.4% of recoverable waste from landfill – verified by Certified B Corp environmental compliance scheme and consultancy Beyondly.

The Distribution Network Operator (DNO), that delivers power to nearly 20 million people across London, the South East and the East of the UK, sought to minimise sending recoverable waste to landfill by the end of 2025 and requested Beyondly’s audit of its progress.

The independent audit pored over data from the 2024/25 period that included 131 sites where waste is collected and seven of the company’s waste service providers.

Results show that UK Power Networks achieved a 99.4% platinum diversion rate with streetworks waste included, and a 96.7% gold diversion rate when excluding streetworks waste (such as excavated materials including stones and soil).

Streetworks contribute a significant portion of the firm’s total waste, as UK Power Networks carries out over 40,000 roadworks a year to maintain and install underground electricity cables, and this can influence overall performance metrics. Streetworks waste alone reached a near-perfect 99.9% recycling rate, outperforming the 99.5% target. Beyondly highlights that landfill may still occur for certain regulated hazardous wastes, or where landfill is mandated by law, and distinguishes this from avoidable non-hazardous landfill.

Head of environment and sustainability at UK Power Networks, Mark Norman, said “Achieving platinum certification is a significant milestone for UK Power Networks and reflects our effort to reduce waste and maximise reuse and recycling across our operations. Independent verification by Beyondly gives confidence in our approach and demonstrates that, while some landfill is unavoidable due to regulation, we are going beyond compliance to eliminate avoidable non‑hazardous waste wherever possible.”

Chris Smith, lead consultant for resource efficiency and circularity at Beyondly, said: “Towards the end of 2025, UK Power Networks engaged the waste optimisation services of the consulting team at Beyondly to perform a third-party Zero Waste to Landfill Certification review and audit, applying the waste hierarchy to all hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams generated in operational activities.

“Our approach was collaborative from the start, and all parties agreed there was an opportunity to build on certification and seek opportunities to engage with waste service providers and the circular economy to continuously improve and minimise the environmental impact of operations. Beyondly are thrilled to continue supporting UK Power Networks during 2026 to build on the successful certification.”