The Best Waste Management Software for Retail

In retail, waste management is no longer a formality: it is a legal, operational, and reputational risk.

Dozens or hundreds of stores, different waste operators across regions, decentralized contracts, mandatory documentation, and increasing ESG pressure. Without a dedicated system, control becomes fragmented and risk increases.

Today, collecting waste is not enough.‍

Companies must ensure traceability, audit-ready data, and full compliance with Law 7/2022.

In this article, we analyze the best waste management software solutions for multi-site retail chains and the key criteria for selecting the right platform.

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What Does Waste Management Involve in the Retail Sector?

Waste management in retail encompasses the technical, operational, and documentary processes required to ensure proper collection, transport, treatment, and traceability of waste generated in stores, warehouses, and logistics centers.

It goes beyond physical collection. It includes three key dimensions:

• Operational: coordination with authorized waste operators.
• Documentary: contracts, identification documents (ID forms), certificates.
• Digital and traceable: centralized, verifiable recording of each waste stream.

Types of Waste in Retail

Retail businesses primarily generate:

• Cardboard and packaging
• Plastics
• Organic waste (especially in food retail)
• WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
• Hazardous waste (batteries, aerosols, chemicals)

The complexity increases significantly for chains with dozens or hundreds of points of sale, each with local contracts and different operators.

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Why Does Retail Need Dedicated Waste Management Software?

Retail operates in a particularly complex environment: multiple points of sale, different operators across regions, decentralized contracts, and large volumes of mandatory documentation.

A general ERP system is not designed to handle this level of complexity. Retail requires a dedicated solution that enables:

• True multi-site management, with visibility by store, region, or country.
• Coordination with multiple authorized operators.
• Mandatory document control (IDs, contracts, certificates).
• Consolidated and exportable ESG reporting.
• Optimization of operational costs associated with collections.

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Key Criteria for Choosing Waste Management Software in Retail

In a B2B comparison process, these are the critical criteria:

Multi-Site Management

The platform must allow data visualization and comparison by store, region, and country.

Document Automation

One of retail’s main bottlenecks is document management. Each authorized operator sends identification documents, contracts, and certificates that traditionally must be uploaded manually, store by store.

Since 2025, solutions such as Manglai allow automatic import of waste documentation. The software can process documents sent by operators in bulk, eliminating manual uploads.

Integration with Authorized Operators

The ability to integrate data from multiple external providers.

Regulatory Reporting

Compliance with:

• Law 7/2022
• Regional regulations
• CSRD preparation

Data must be audit-ready: traceable, verifiable, and exportable for audits.

Audit-Ready Data and Full Traceability

Retail companies do not just need data — they need auditable data. This is essential for compliance with Law 7/2022 and preparation for CSRD reporting.

In the event of an audit or inspection, companies should not have to reconstruct information manually. The system must be designed from the outset to respond quickly and rigorously.

Store-Level Dashboards

Corporate teams need global visibility, while stores need autonomy. The combination of centralized control and local action is essential.

ERP Integration

To avoid duplication and errors, the solution should integrate with:

• Financial ERP systems
• Procurement systems
• ESG platforms
• Corporate reporting tools

ESG Reporting Readiness

Retail must connect waste management with sustainability and circular economy strategy.

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What Is the Best Waste Management Software for Retail?

Below we analyze leading market solutions:

Manglai

Manglai is an environmental and ESG management platform designed specifically for multi-site companies requiring full traceability, automation, and advanced regulatory compliance.

Unlike generalist solutions or those focused on waste operators, Manglai is built for corporate retail structures that need centralized control without losing store-level visibility.

Key differentiators:

• Native and scalable multi-site management
• Automatic bulk import of waste documents
• Integration with multiple authorized operators
• Structured, 100% audit-ready data
• Prepared for Law 7/2022 and CSRD reporting
• Direct integration with corporate ESG reporting

A distinctive feature is Manglai’s AI Copilot, which enables:

• Automatic detection of deviations between stores
• Identification of documentary inconsistencies
• Instant responses to regulatory compliance questions
• Generation of ESG-ready insights for executive committees or audits

This transforms waste management from a reactive administrative task into a strategic control and optimization tool.

The platform also extends management to the value chain through Supplier Engagement, essential for retailers seeking visibility into supplier environmental performance.

Recy Systems

Recy Systems specializes in waste traceability and operational control.

Strengths:

• Technical focus on waste
• Strong document control
• Experience in highly regulated environments

Limitations:

• Less tailored to complex multi-site retail structures
• More limited ESG capabilities
• Less developed corporate integrations in multinational environments

Suitable for companies with clearly defined technical waste needs, but less oriented toward strategic ESG integration.

Enablon (Wolters Kluwer)

Enablon is a global EHS and risk management platform that includes waste modules within a broader compliance suite.

Strengths:

• Robust international platform
• Comprehensive corporate approach (EHS, risk, compliance)
• Suitable for large multinationals

Limitations:

• Not retail-specialized
• Longer, more complex implementations
• Higher cost for companies seeking only waste management

Well-suited for industrial corporations, less specialized for decentralized retail operations.

SpheraCloud – Waste Management

Part of a global ESG suite focused on corporate sustainability.

Strengths:

• Strong ESG reporting integration
• Global positioning
• Strategic sustainability focus

Limitations:

• Waste module not always adapted to multi-store retail complexity
• Greater focus on reporting than operational automation
• More oriented toward large industrial corporations

Waste Logics

Primarily designed for waste operators.

Strengths:

• Operational focus for waste sector companies
• Logistics and billing management

Limitations:

• Not designed for multi-site retail generators
• Limited corporate ESG reporting capabilities
• Minimal focus on generator-specific regulatory compliance

More appropriate for companies whose core activity is waste management.

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How to Implement Waste Management Software in a Retail Chain

Implementation does not require changing store operations overnight.

With a phased approach, companies can centralize documentation traceability, reduce sanction risk, and gain corporate visibility without disrupting store operations.

An effective rollout typically includes:

1. Define the corporate objective: determine whether the priority is compliance with Law 7/2022, reducing collection costs, preparing for ESG audits, or gaining multi-site control. In retail, the software must address both legal and operational needs.
2. Select a pilot group of stores: choosing representative locations (by volume, geography, or store type) allows you to validate coordination with local operators and test document integration without impacting the entire network.
3. Map operators and contracts by store: identify which authorized operator serves each location, what types of waste are collected, and what documentation is provided. In retail, this mapping process often reveals significant territorial fragmentation.
4. Standardize documentary criteria: unify how identification documents (IDs), contracts, and certificates are recorded so that all stores operate under the same standard, regardless of region.
5. Automate document integration: implement the system so that documents sent by operators are automatically centralized, preventing each store from having to upload files manually.
6. Generate an initial consolidated view: obtain a corporate dashboard that allows comparison between stores, detection of deviations, and visualization of volumes and costs by waste type.
7. Scale progressively across the network: once the pilot model is validated, extend implementation while maintaining structured, audit-ready data standards across all locations.

In retail, success is not just about digitization — it is about ensuring that every store remains compliant without increasing administrative burden, while corporate teams gain full control and traceability in the event of inspections.

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From Legal Obligation to Operational Efficiency

For years, waste management in retail was viewed as an administrative obligation: comply with regulations and retain documentation to avoid penalties.

Today, the context demands more.

Law 7/2022 and increasing ESG requirements have turned traceability into a strategic asset. Companies need structured, comparable, auditable data to support decisions and withstand inspections.

When management is digital and data is audit-ready, the approach becomes proactive. Retail gains cost visibility, detects inefficiencies between stores, and transforms compliance into competitive advantage.

In a context of growing regulatory and reputational pressure, waste management is no longer just a legal obligation — it is a lever for operational efficiency and strategic positioning.

Is your retail company managing its waste properly?

Don’t let regulatory and operational complexity slow down your sustainability strategy. At Manglai, we help retail companies digitalize and automate their environmental management, centralizing data, traceability, and compliance in a single platform.

Schedule a personalized demo.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is digitalization mandatory?‍

Not explicitly, but regulations require documentary traceability and record retention. In multi-site environments, digitalization is the only efficient solution.

What does Law 7/2022 require?‍

Proper management, traceability, documentation, and adherence to waste hierarchy and circular economy principles.

Can software connect waste with ESG strategy?‍

Yes. Advanced solutions integrate waste into sustainability reporting and extend management to suppliers within the value chain.