A Look Back at 2024: OPRL’s Achievements and Milestones

At OPRL, our commitment to supporting our members and driving progress in recyclability and sustainability remains at the heart of everything we do.

As we step into an exciting new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on all that we accomplished in the last year.
We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together and would like to share some highlights from 2024:

Leadership and Growth

We started the year by lending our Managing Director, Margaret Bates, to Defra, where she is currently on secondment helping design and implement the Scheme Administrator for pEPR. In her absence, we were delighted to welcome Jude Allan as Interim Managing Director.

Delivering Exceptional Member Support

Over 13K recycling labels downloaded: A testament to the increasing commitment of our members to providing clear recycling guidance on their packaging.
144 new members joined: Expanding our community to more than 900 members and furthering our collective impact.
93% member satisfaction: A testament to the value and support we provide, with 771 members renewing their membership.
904 member support tickets received and answered: Our Member Support Team worked tirelessly to support members with their packaging recyclability queries.
Over 170K marketing emails sent: Ensuring our commitment to keep OPRL members up to date with all the latest news, industry information and membership benefits.

Innovative Tools and Resources

Updated Online Labelling Tool: August saw the launch of our improved Labelling Tool – enabling members to download recycling labels for packaging with up to four components.
Recyclability Assessment Tool (RAT): Introduced in November, our RAT got off to an amazing start, with 494 assessments created in 2024, including an impressive 250 in its first week!

Engagement and Education

5 member case studies created: Showcasing the innovative ways our members are leveraging OPRL’s tools and support.
5 webinars hosted: Keeping members informed on key legislation changes and introducing them to our new tools and services.
Industry presence: We exhibited and presented at Packaging Innovations and London Packaging Week, attended more than 20 industry events, and participated in 10 panel discussions, ensuring OPRL’s voice is heard in key industry conversations.

New Initiatives

Supplier Directory launch: Providing a platform for our packaging supplier members to promote their products to our retailer and brand members.

Investing in Our Team

To better serve our growing membership, we added 7 talented individuals to our team, enhancing our capacity to provide top-tier support and services to our members.
Over 550 hours of training completed: By staying at the forefront of industry knowledge and honing our expertise, we have been able to better serve our members and provide them with unparalleled support. Beyond specialised training, we also invested in broader corporate development initiatives, strengthening the foundation of our organisation as a whole.

Giving Back

As a not-for-profit organisation, giving back is part of our ethos. This year, our team dedicated time to volunteering and making a difference in the local community. A standout moment was raising a value of more than £650 in donations for our Christmas Toy Drive. These funds were used to purchase toys for the Sleigh2Give initiative, which delivers gifts to poorly children in Oxfordshire hospitals. This heartwarming effort allowed us to bring joy to those in need and extend our impact far beyond the workplace.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on this remarkable year, we want to thank all our members and partners who have contributed to these achievements. Your commitment and collaboration drive our success and the collective progress we make towards a more sustainable future.

Here’s to continuing this momentum in 2025!