The circular move: ING's Zero Waste office relocation

Each year, more than 45 million pieces of furniture are discarded across Europe, most of them after only five to seven years of use. In reality, these items can often last decades. At Relieve, our mission is to break this cycle of waste by creating a circular ecosystem where furniture is reused, redistributed, and revalued.

Our collaboration with ING has been our most ambitious demonstration of this mission yet. Over the course of two years, we completed the largest removal in our history: the clearance of ING’s 94,000 m² headquarters in Belgium. The project not only prevented thousands of items from becoming waste but also proved that circularity at scale is achievable, financially viable, and socially impactful.

The challenge

In 2022, ING contacted us with a monumental task: to find the most sustainable solution for clearing out their headquarters.

This wasn’t just any office building. For over 40 years, the site had served as an operational fortress and an integral part of ING’s history, housing around 5,000 employees. Its size and symbolic value made the removal particularly complex. The challenge was to respect this legacy while ensuring that the building’s contents could continue to serve a purpose elsewhere.

Our approach

To meet the challenge, we combined technology, logistics, and collaboration in a process designed to maximise reuse and minimise waste:

• Digitalisation & AI Classification

Every piece of furniture, from desks and chairs to storage units, was catalogued and classified using our in-house digital tools. AI models, trained to recognise furniture types and conditions, made it possible to process and assess items quickly across such a vast site.

• Reuse & Redistribution

Instead of sending items to landfill or recycling streams, we prepared them for reuse. High-quality furniture was redirected into new life cycles, furnishing businesses, organisations, and community spaces.

• Recycling with 100% transparency

For items that could not be reused, we worked closely with our trusted partner MCA to ensure materials were recycled responsibly. This process was carried out with 100% transparency, backed by ISO 14001 certification, guaranteeing traceability and accountability for every kilogram processed.

 Instead of sending items to landfill or recycling streams, we prepared them for reuse. High-quality furniture was redirected into new life cycles, furnishing businesses, organisations, and community spaces.

• Collaborative Partnerships

Collaboration played a central role. We worked with partners such as Commons Hub and CDT Europe, who not only received furniture but also embraced the values of circularity by integrating reused items into their workspaces.

• Ongoing Impact

The project didn’t stop once the building was empty. Even six months later, furniture from ING is still being placed in companies like Respace, CCSI Medical Center, Compagnie ABC, Knees to Chin, CDT Europe, Mundo Lab, Commons Hub and others, extending the project’s reach and impact long after the removal phase ended.

The results

The ING removal delivered both immediate and long-lasting outcomes:

5,000+ items rehoused

1,400 beneficiaries supported

Dozens of offices, companies, and organisations furnished with second-life furniture

Long-term redistribution: ongoing placements continue well beyond the official project end

100% transparent recycling of non-reusable materials through MCA, ISO 14001 certified

Carbon & ESG reporting: ING received a fully transparent carbon and ESG report to support their sustainability goals and internal ESG department

This project became a proof point: large-scale circular removals can work not only for the environment, but also for the businesses and communities that benefit from them.

Beyond the numbers, what stands out are the voices of those who experienced the project’s impact first-hand:

As Jeremy, our CEO reflected:

“We are really proud of it because it’s been a true success. ING has been a game changer. It’s been by far the biggest project over the last two years, and we showed and proved that a circular model is not only possible, but scalable.”

Why it matters

The ING removal demonstrates that:

• Large-scale reuse is possible with the right tools and methodology
• Digitalisation and AI make massive inventories feasible and efficient
• Partnerships with like-minded organisations amplify positive impact
• Certified recycling with MCA ensures zero compromise on transparency and compliance (ISO 14001)
• As a B Corp, Relieve guarantees that environmental and social responsibility are built into every step
• Circularity creates value that lasts well beyond the end of a project, with ING receiving a transparent Carbon & ESG report to serve their ESG department

By transforming a massive clearance into an ongoing reuse movement, this case study proves that circular models don’t just work at small scales,they can redefine how entire buildings are cleared responsibly.

We captured this journey, showing the scale of the challenge, the process, and the long-term impact. Watch below to discover how the ING removal came to life: