Recycling firm lead the way with Scottish rewards in revamped long service initiative

Scotland's leading recycling and resource management company, Binn Group, is encouraging organisations to choose the country’s local Gift Card for employee rewards, following over two years of using the initiative.

A family run company, Binn Group is based in Perth and began using Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards in 2023 in their long service awards. Binn Group’s 62 acre Binn Ecopark in Perth processes up to 200,000 tonnes of material each year.

Binn Group have used a variety of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards to meet the needs of their 160 strong team who are based across Scotland, including the Perth Gift Card/Perth & Kinross Gift Card which was rebranded to the Perth City & Towns Gift Card in August, the Fife Gift Card, the South Ayrshire Gift Card, the Falkirk District Towns Gift Card and the Dundee Gift Card.

Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards, backed by Scotland’s Towns Partnership and supported by fintech MIconex are active in 30+ Scottish towns, cities and regions. Over £16m has been generated through the initiative to date in Scotland, with the cards increasingly popular for employee rewards. Scotland Loves Local Week is taking place between Saturday 23rd August and Saturday 30th August 2025, with a theme of People Make Places. .

Sarah McCann, HR Manager at Binn Group said choosing the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards aligns with their commitment to powering the circular economy:

“The appeal of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card concept was the fact I could purchase cards relevant to where team members live. It made it very straightforward for me to administer. Another key reason was the sustainability angle, aligned to our ethos as a business. Giving our team choice in their long service reward gift means they are able to select a gift they want and need rather than a statue that might be discarded. As a business, it’s important for us to keep it local as much as possible and choosing Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards as rewards does just that by ensuring our reward spend goes back into local economies. As a bonus, once the magnetic strip is removed, the card is fully recyclable too, a real plus point over the plastic Gift Cards that are available.

“I like that the cards have big brands like Co-op on there as well as many unique independent businesses. The choice on offer gives our team lots of practical ways to spend their cards as well as many treat options. We have various demographics at Binn Group, and there’s no set age or interest for an individual receiving a particular long service award. The great thing about Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards is that they cater for all ages, interests, wants and needs.

“Making the move to the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card has been very easy and I’d encourage all organisations to consider using their local card for their rewards. Do it for your country, for your local economy and for your environment. Cards have to be spent locally with all kinds of local businesses. Local businesses can find it hard to bring in the footfall they need to survive, but by choosing local rewards, we’re helping ensure they stay open.”

Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convenor of Perth and Kinross Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: “We’re proud to see Scotland’s leading recycling and resource management company making a local choice with their rewards and incentives, powering Perth’s economy and helping local businesses to thrive.”

The Perth City & Towns Gift Card is part of the award winning Town & City Gift Card from Miconex. Over 200 Miconex programs now operate around the world, with £45 million in local spend delivered.

CEO Colin Munro said: “The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card, offering unbeatable local choice for employees, including the big brands they know and the local businesses they love. Choosing the card enables both organisations and employees alike to support local businesses, having a tangible positive impact on the local community. There has never been a better time for organisations to make the move to local rewards.”

Businesses wishing to join the Perth City & Towns Gift Card or other Scotland Loves Local Gift Card programs across the country can email: support@mi-cnx.com