TERR ACYCLE
DIGITAL REPORT 2020
Eliminating waste through recycling and technology IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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Eliminating waste through recycling and technology
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TERRACYCLE
Béla Domokos, CIO of TerraCycle, discusses the importance of an agile tech infrastructure in order to fulfil the company’s goal of a circular economy
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side from COVID-19, sustainability is arguably one of the foremost business challenges being grappled with across
industry segments. Founded in 2001, TerraCycle was established to deal with a singular problem in a focused way: the elimination of the world’s 04
waste. Now operating in 21 countries around the world, the company offers a range of simple platforms to facilitate recycling and lead the global shift towards a more eco-friendly incarnation of the customer’s shopping experience, with particular attention paid to the removal of single-use packaging. As global enterprise reorients itself in order to meet the ‘green’ expectations of modern consumers, TerraCycle will play an important role in transforming inefficient linear systems to fully circular economies. Speaking to us from an office building decorated in colourfully upcycled materials – old vinyl records arranged as hanging decorations, coats and old maps forming pictures on the walls – Béla Domokos, Chief Information Officer (CIO), makes
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“ Every person at TerraCycle, no matter where they are on the ladder, has the chance to make an impact” — Béla Domokos, CIO, TerraCycle
where they are on the ladder, has the chance to make an impact. In other companies that’s often not a possibil-
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it immediately clear that TerraCycle
ity.” He goes on to say that corporate
practices what it preaches. Coming
flexibility and the spirit of recognising
from a diverse background of experi-
those who demonstrate the capability
ence, including roles at GE Digital and
for innovation is something he actively
ALDI, Domokos states that, from a
encourages in his leadership: “The
technological standpoint, his progres-
idea of meritocracy and people being
sion to TerraCycle was in recognition
evaluated based purely on the quality
that it was a company within which he
of their work and not necessarily the
could make a significant difference.
time that they spend on it, I think,
“I felt that, because of its structure,
is getting more attention and is more
every person at TerraCycle, no matter
relevant than ever.” This refocus on leadership became even more important when Domokos took on the CIO role in late 2018 and sought to enhance its scope across TerraCycle’s operations. Recognising
What are the future goals for Terracycle? CLICK TO WATCH
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07 THAT systems and processes are
on its portfolio, the company has
constantly changing and evolving
gone on to strike more favourable
in the IT world, he set about making
deals than ever before. Part of the
the presence of technology and its
company’s agility stems from shifting
importance felt more deeply within
standards within the IT sector which
the company. “There was a need for
favour moving away from in-house
my direct reports to be included in a
designed applications and refocus-
lot more conversations,” he explains.
ing on using best-in-class tech from
“Making sure that IT-related vendor
third parties. Domokos states that the
management was handled within the
laborious task of developing software
department, for example. TerraCycle
for warehouse management, logistics,
grew from a small company that was
accounting, service management and
super nimble and could pivot quickly;
other everyday functions can now be
that’s something we want to con-
easily handled by outsourcing to cloud
tinue.” Now with a stronger grasp
providers like Amazon Web Services w w w.te rra c ycle. com
(AWS). Summarising his philosophy,
and removing those items which don’t
he says, “We don’t build our own app
contribute to the cycle of ‘reduce,
server; we purchase one that meets
recycle, reuse’. Circular economics
our needs. If we later want to pivot to
doesn’t just make good ecological sense,
something else, TerraCycle can just
it also makes profound business
cancel the subscription.”
sense too, as Domokos expands upon.
TerraCycle’s objective is a large-
“TerraCycle partners with brands like
scale transition within the philosophy
Unilever, PepsiCo or Coca-Cola and
of global business – training industries
then we launch a campaign to col-
to no longer think about resources
lect a specific waste stream, such as
in terms of ‘product’ and ‘waste’, but
toothpaste tubes, diapers, chips bags
instead finding a use for everything
or drink cans. We guarantee that we 09
E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :
Béla Domokos Title: Chief Information Officer
Company: TerraCycle
Industry: Environmental Services
Location: Hungary
Béla Domokos is the Chief Information Officer of TerraCycle. His areas of emphasis are transformation management (both on the IT organisation’s and the company level), adopting new technologies and overseeing new product launches. In his first year in the role he has reshaped the IT department to make sure it continues to support the company’s rapid growth. That meant focusing on scalability and structural stability of both systems and IT processes. Before joining TerraCycle, Béla was an IT Manager at ALDI. Prior to that he held roles at GE Capital and GE Digital. w w w.te rra c ycle. com
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“ There’s so much more excitement ahead” — Béla Domokos, CIO, TerraCycle
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TERRACYCLE
2001
Year founded
$44.mn+ Money for charity raised in US dollars
350
Number of employees 12 are going to recycle this collected material, which in turn generates new material.” It is through these measures that the company reduces the need for items such as single-use virgin plastic. Successful campaigns launched by TerraCycle include one for Walmart collecting children’s car
he claims that despite COVID-19-
seats, an effort which simultaneously
related disruptions the company will
recycled disused items and generated
still make a profit at the end of the
more foot traffic for the company,
year. However, he is quick to point
says Domokos.
out that success often comes with its
Perhaps one of the most exciting
own challenges and states that the
aspects of these projects has been
company’s tech infrastructure is in the
the accelerated growth which
process of being upgraded, particu-
TerraCycle has experienced. In fact,
larly its CRM (customer relationship
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management) software. “New work-
the latest tech trends – trends which
flows need to be set up to make sure
will not only determine the direction
that recently hired staff can pick up
of the business but also sustainability
the pace as fast as possible. With
generally. “Business intelligence (BI)
more organisations wanting to get
is going to be a big one: making sure
involved in our collection programs,
that we understand the data that we
we now have the foundation for further
deal with. I think the whole sustain-
growth.” Moreover, Domokos is keen
ability space is more aware that data
to keep TerraCycle up-to-date with
can be used for all kinds of things: w w w.te rra c ycle. com
TerraCycle’s approach to software and sustainability CLICK TO WATCH
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15 how waste is moving around, how it
have been used, customers can then
should get collected and what we can
place them back inside the Tote and
do differently.”
schedule a free pick up at a time con-
This brings him to TerraCycle’s inno-
venient for them. The company then
vative ecommerce platform, Loop. A
empties and cleans the packaging
recognisable online retail experience
ready for reuse. The endeavour shares
with a twist, Loop provides customers
a similar philosophy to TerraCycle’s
with their favourite leading brands in a
other offerings, such as its variably-
sustainably reimagined form exclusively
sized Zero Waste Box, which allows
available through the site. Waste-
customers to fill it up with almost any
free products are then delivered to
kind of waste (domestic or business-
their doorstep in a Loop Tote bag
related) and return to the company
specifically manufactured to replace
for repurposing. “We don’t have many
single-use bubble wrap, cardboard
competitors in this space, so there
boxes and ice packs. Once the products
isn’t an industry standard for how w w w.te rra c ycle. com
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PA RT N E R S
One of TerraCycle’s partners that Domokos singles out for special praise is obo.Agency, a digital transformation company specialising in designing processes, custom technology stacks and smart marketing campaigns designed to optimise a business’ sales and marketing ROI. 16
“obo.Agency is one of our integrated partners; it guides us through the thought process of which solution or software option would best meet our needs. obo helps facilitate the conversation to make sure that our sales process is scalable. It’s not just about the tool, it’s about how our sales process operates: how we track, how we report and how we catalogue. They help us with all of these things and more.”
to do these things; the company is very unique,” Domokos proudly states. “We have so many ideas because we’re also trying to make sustainability easily accessible, painless and fun for everyone,” he adds. He hopes that one day BI capabilities will marry with e-commerce platforms like Loop to help people make sustainable life choices easier. As the business continues to grow and data streams become larger, leveraging advanced automation
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“ TerraCycle grew from a small company that was super nimble and could pivot quickly; that’s something we want to continue” — Béla Domokos, CIO, TerraCycle
such as artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) would become necessary. Although such an application has yet to be realised, the potential is highly exciting for the sector. “If you understand the data that’s moving in your systems and your business, you can serve people better. Hypothetically, if someone decided to go vegan for the purposes of sustainability, we could create a list for them of all the products that they’d need.” w w w.te rra c ycle. com
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Terracycle’s goal between now and 2021 CLICK TO WATCH
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“ I think the whole sustainability space is more aware that data can be used for all kinds of things: how waste is moving around, how it should get collected and what we can do differently” — Béla Domokos, CIO, TerraCycle seem indicative that TerraCycle’s tech infrastructure is ready for the ‘new normal’ and Loop expansions delayed for Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic
2020, such as the UK, Canada, Japan
has made 2020 a strange year for
and Germany, are now prepared for end
TerraCycle, Domokos is positive that
of 2020, early 2021. “Loop US is pro-
the success it has achieved despite
jected to be profitable by the end of this
disruption is auspicious for 2021. With
year,” Domokos concludes, “there’s so
the CRM software transition expected
much more excitement ahead: improving
to be completed before the end of the
the IT team, the business structure,
year, cybersecurity augmentations to
adding new roles and staying in-tune
adapt to more data-focused operations
with the evolving needs of the industry.”
(GDPR in Europe and CCPA in the US) and plenty of ambition driving the development of Loop, the company looks set to fly out of the gates come January. Successful remote working practices w w w.te rra c ycle. com
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