Sustainability Column - Checking in with MJ Church
- 31st Mar 2025
For this month’s column we were lucky enough to have caught up with Ben Hodsoll, Group Head of HSE at M J Church, the waste management contractor for the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).
“Here at M J Church, we have been working with the airshow since 2013 and have seen firsthand the effort that they are making as they continue their sustainability journey. In this respect, they are not too dissimilar to us as we recognise that we need to implement positive change; we need to help our clients to become more sustainable, especially with waste management. To do this, we have to be at the forefront of innovation to ensure that we collaborate with our clients.
Sustainability has had a significant impact on our operations, particularly with our relationships with event organisers. As a business we have made sustainability a central part of our waste management services, offering tailored solutions that align with environmental best practices for events of all sizes. These practices not only minimise the environmental impact but also provide event organisers with detailed post-event reports on waste management and recycling outcomes.”
M J Church have worked alongside us here at RAFCTE to strive to reduce waste and maximise recycling at RIAT during the build, event and recovery phases. M J Church operate zero waste to landfill for the event and have helped RIAT reduce the overall waste removed from the event by 21% from RIAT23 to RIAT24.
Moreover, M J Church have invested into sustainable transportation by adding electric vehicles to their fleet, further reducing their environmental impact and thus, carbon footprint. The first electric vehicle was showcased at RIAT in 2024 which was a success both for M J Church and RIAT. This commitment to sustainability has strengthened partnerships with event organisers, such as their long-term collaboration with the Royal International Air Tattoo. Ben Hodsoll further commented:
“Like a lot of people, when it comes to buying a new vehicle, there is a debate to be had about whether an electric vehicle is plausible. I’m pleased to say we have invested nearly £1m in electric vehicles, with two vehicles coming in at almost £900k, plus all the added infrastructure costs when you consider the need for charging points at our base in Wiltshire. We see the electrification of our fleet as a great investment with growing numbers in our light and heavy goods vehicles. This commitment demonstrates as a business we are investing from an environmental and moral obligation perspective to contribute to a positive benefit for our local communities through our continued journey to Net Zero.
Driving electric trucks has lots of advantages outside of being more sustainable, the vehicles are quieter for the early morning collections, they’re compatible with clean air zones and we feel that they are safer to operate. Naturally there are things we have had to change as we adapted to them, such as training our drivers to drive them differently to ensure we get the maximum efficiency and take routes into consideration.”
M J Church will continue to operate RIAT for 2025 where we look forward to welcoming their second electric vehicle and further improve efficiencies.
