Cox Enterprises Achieves 92% Waste Diversion from Landfill

ATLANTA -- Cox Enterprises has announced the achievement of its ambitious goal to send Zero Waste to Landfill by 2024. Cox is the first U.S.-based, enterprisewide service company to be verified by GreenCircle Certified as achieving a 92% waste diversion rate. This achievement meets Zero Waste USA's definition of a zero-waste business.

"When our Chairman Emeritus Jim Kennedy set us on the path to zero waste, he did so because he knew it was a way we could positively impact our communities and our world," said Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO, Cox Enterprises. "Since then, virtually everyone in our company has contributed in one way or another. Reaching this goal required us to make major shifts in how we do things, but we knew it was important for our planet and future generations. I want to thank everyone who helped — it all mattered, and it's making a big difference." 

The zero waste achievement of 92% diversion is nearly triple the national average of 32%. Since 2013, it has kept more than 750 million pounds of waste out of landfills. That is the equivalent of 10 million reams of copy paper, organic waste equal to 60 million apples, and the same amount of metal used to build more than 4,000 vehicles.

Cox provided a net benefit of $340 million to the business while reducing waste, working closely with recyclers and sustainability vendors to find new, innovative ways to eliminate waste and contribute to the circular economy.

"Achieving zero waste wouldn't have been possible without the help of partners who laid the foundation for our recycling operations or served as 'boots on the ground,' delivering the benefits of sustainable actions directly to communities and residents in need," said Meredith Lindvall, senior director of sustainability, recycling, and waste diversion at Cox Enterprises. "Their partnership helped us make the necessary changes to lower our collective impact."

With a $1.9 million investment in nonprofit partners for recycling infrastructure creation, Cox was a founding member of The Inclusion Fund of The Recycling Partnership and worked with the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Live Thrive's CHaRM facility and Chattahoochee River Keepers. Our operations vendor partners included Goodr and Rubicon.

Cox has reached a number of zero waste milestones in the U.S. including our Manheim Riverside facility in California, telecommunications provider Cox Communications and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As of 2023, Cox now has 71 zero waste locations.

"The dedication of Cox employees has been impressive. They have supported multiple changes big and small, ranging from opting out of to-go containers in cafes to composting food and recycling nontraditional waste. We've come a long way since this project began in 2013 and we will continue to support every location in efforts to divert as much waste as possible," said Lindvall.

Learn more about conservation at Cox Enterprises.

The current Zero Waste by 2024 achievement excludes any wholly owned acquisitions made since 2021 and international locations.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is dedicated to empowering people to build a better future for the next generation. Cox is a leader in the broadband, automotive, and media industries, as well as a leading investment platform with strategic positions in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, renewable energy, health care, and public sector software. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with $23 billion in annual revenues and a proud 125-year history. To learn more about Cox and its commitment to its people, planet and communities, visit coxenterprises.com.