Sodexo provides catering services to a large IT company based in Cork, Ireland employing around 2 000 people. Every year, around 1.2 million paper cups were being used and then sent to landfill. It cost about € 120 000 a year. To reduce this cost and prevent this waste stream from ending up in landfill, Sodexo decided to introduce reusable cups instead of the single-use ones as part of its drive to become more sustainable through increased recycling and reduced waste. Sodexo invested about € 9 000 on buying thermal mugs, which were given to all staff free of charge. Employees were responsible for washing and taking care of these mugs themselves.

The initiative was well-received by staff who found that coffee stayed hot for longer. The move also proved to be less expensive than landfilling and incineration, which benefited the company and environment.