TRUST certified recycling merchants pass 10

20/07/2022 15:34

Eleven recycling merchants who buy stock from charity shops are now TRUST (Trader Recycling Universal Standard) certified with more going through the robust audit process.

The TRUST certification scheme exists to help ensure that unsold stock from charity shops is managed by recycling merchants in a lawful, ethical and sustainable manner. 

In addition to the 11 merchants who are currently certified, there are a further 12 merchants who are currently in the audit process with another 15 who are in the early stages of applying.

The majority of merchants who seek to buy unsold stock from charity shops are reputable businesses that treat their staff fairly, follow legal requirements, pay their bills and generally operate to best practice standards. The TRUST certification will help these merchants demonstrate to charity shops that they are reputable businesses to work with: protecting charities’ finances and reputation.

A lot can go wrong if goods are sold to merchants who do not meet high standards. Poor health and safety dramatically increases the risk of fatalities and injuries and no one wants to work with businesses that are putting people’s lives at risk. Likewise, there is a risk that without due diligence checks, goods can be sold to operators with poor labour practices that fail to meet environmental requirements or are party to waste crime.

From April 2022, recycling merchants that wish to be corporate members of CRA require TRUST certification or to have started the process of certification and applied and paid for Stage 1 of background checks with the full audit completed by the end of this year.

With the system now fully up and running we think it’s time for our charity members to consider only selling surplus stock to TRUST-certified collectors. It’s up to you of course – and it’s never going to be a condition of CRA charity membership – but we would strongly urge you to consider supporting the scheme so that more and more merchants will want to come on board.