The initiative connected the organisation with solution providers it would not normally encounter through traditional routes, creating opportunities for innovators to actively present their approaches to VINCI Facilities and Ringway directly through the iX process.

The challenge aimed to identify environmentally responsible solutions that could deliver the same level of efficiency and productivity as glyphosate, while reducing potential harmful effects and supporting wider sustainability ambitions.

Finding sustainable alternatives to glyphosate

Ringway identified a significant issue in its day-to-day work maintaining urban environments on behalf of local authorities. While glyphosate was functional and considered safe, the organisation believed there were better solutions available that could achieve the same results with less potential environmental impact.

Working closely with Hounslow Council, which has strong ambitions around reducing carbon emissions and protecting local biodiversity, the challenge also reflected the council’s priorities to keep streets clean, safe and usable, while ensuring green spaces are maintained in the least harmful way possible.

Exploring practical, scalable solutions

Following a competitive pitch process, several innovative solutions were selected and trialled across the Hounslow borough. These trials enabled Ringway and the council to assess how different approaches performed in different environments and to identify which solutions worked best in specific settings.

For the first time, the project allowed the team to review a wide range of providers side by side, supporting more informed decisions about which methods could meet both operational needs and environmental goals.

Wider impact and future opportunities

The initiative is designed to help shape the future of weed management beyond Hounslow, with the potential to influence environmental practices across other boroughs and organisations. By validating sustainable alternatives, the project supports a broader industry shift towards greener approaches that maintain public safety, usability and the protection of biodiversity.

Ringway also highlighted the wider benefits of working with iX Exchange, including access to a diverse network of innovators, helping solution providers gain exposure and creating opportunities for future collaboration.

A collaborative experience

Reflecting on the process, Ringway described working with Innovate UK’s iX programme as a supportive and collaborative experience. The programme helped the organisation look further afield and engage with partners focused on innovation at every stage, aligning closely with Ringway’s goal of embedding innovation as a core part of its work.

We were having to use glyphosate to deal with the weeds in the urban environments that we maintain on behalf of the local authorities, and we were struggling to find a solution. What the iX process provided us, was access to a whole group of solutions that we would never have got in contact with otherwise.

– Philip Reid, Head of Innovation and Transformation, VINCI Construction