Waste to Wonder Worldwide Founder Alan Cooper Awarded OBE for Services to Charity and Sustainability

Waste to Wonder Worldwide is proud to announce that its founder, Alan Cooper, has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List, recognising his exceptional contributions to charity and sustainability.

Alan, who received the official notification from the Cabinet Office in November, described the honour as “a surprise, a thrill, and a moment to reflect on the journey so far.”

For more than twenty years, Alan has been at the forefront of ethical reuse and circular economy innovation. Since founding Waste to Wonder Worldwide, he has championed a simple but radical mantra: “Changing the perception of waste.” What began as a small initiative redistributing redundant office furniture has evolved into a global movement.

Under Alan’s leadership, Waste to Wonder Worldwide has:

Donated over £49 million (Fair Market Value) of furniture and equipment

Equipped more than 1,500 schools across 47 countries, including the UK

Diverted thousands of tonnes of office furniture from landfill each year

Delivered award-winning social and environmental impact through reuse, education, and community development

Reflecting on the path ahead, Alan said:

"Running a company brings with it many opportunities — to support customers, to embrace every skill and idea from colleagues, and to work alongside valued partners. But it also evokes an individual responsibility to do positive things further afield. ‘The world is your oyster,’ to coin a phrase."

He added:

"As we look to 2026, companies and their employees will be able to sit down and plan how they can benefit others whom they may never meet — using their organisation as a catalyst to improve lives across the entire globe. Nil magnum nisi bonum: nothing is great except good."

About Waste to Wonder Worldwide

Waste to Wonder Worldwide is a social enterprise specialising in ethical office clearance, sustainable relocations, and circular economy programmes that support education and community development worldwide. Its flagship School in a Box initiative redirects surplus office furniture to underserved schools, providing vital resources while reducing waste and carbon emissions.

For Media Enquiries:

Paula Gibson

Communications Manager

Waste to Wonder Worldwide

paula.gibson@wastetowonder.com

0844 809 4928

www.wastetowonder.com