Hospitality doesn't have
a waste problem.
It has an interpretation problem.

From 1 October 2026, all waste producers, carriers, and brokers in England must use the DEFRA Digital Waste Tracking system to track waste digitally. It replaces paper Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs) and Waste Consignment Notes (WCNs). Every movement of waste must be recorded with EWC codes, licensed carrier details, consignee facility information, and independent verifier sign-off. Non-compliance risks enforcement notices, financial penalties, and potential prosecution. DEFRA provides a free basic portal — Varensi is the intelligence layer above it, following the same model as Xero for Making Tax Digital.

Not at current pilot stage. Varensi exports a DWT-ready CSV that maps directly to DEFRA submission fields, which you then upload to the DEFRA portal. Direct API integration with DEFRA's Receipt of Waste API is in development and will be live before the October 2026 mandate. All exports must be independently verified before submission — this is a DEFRA requirement, not a Varensi limitation.

Source data entry, EWC code verification, carrier details, final DWT submission, and independent audit remain 100% the client's sole responsibility. Varensi provides intelligence, analysis, and suggested exports only. Varensi accepts no liability for data accuracy or regulatory non-compliance. This is clearly stated in the Responsibility Matrix in the Comply tab. All exports must be independently verified by a qualified verifier before regulatory submission.

From April 2026, all businesses in England with 10 or more employees must separate food waste into dedicated streams. Fines exceed £5,000 for non-compliance. Varensi's waste type classification system categorises every record at point of entry — providing documented evidence of separation compliance across all sites.

Varensi's intelligence engine is built on enterprise-grade AI. The specific technology is not disclosed for commercial reasons. All AI classifications are explainable (every decision includes a plain-English reason), auditable (every classification is stored in an immutable audit log), and subject to human override (any classification can be overridden with a documented reason). This architecture complies with UK DSIT AI governance requirements and EU AI Act transparency obligations.

Yes. The UK AI governance framework (DSIT 2024–2026) requires AI systems in regulated contexts to be transparent, auditable, human-overseen, and accurate. Varensi complies in full: Transparency — every AI classification includes a one-sentence reason stored in the database. Auditability — an immutable audit log captures every change with before/after snapshots, user attribution, and timestamp. Human oversight — any classification can be overridden by an authorised user, with the override reason mandatory and permanently recorded. Accuracy disclosure — a confidence score (0–100%) is stored and displayed for every classification. DEFRA's guidance that AI-assisted data entry must be disclosed in the submission audit trail is addressed by the human override field and AI disclosure flags in the DWT export.

Disclose Varensi AI as Scope 3, Category 1 (Purchased Goods and Services — Software/SaaS). Annual estimate: approximately 0.06 tCO₂e per year. Method: consumption-based (kWh × UK grid intensity 194 g/kWh, 2026). This follows GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard. Varensi's Carbon tab provides the AI emissions data required for this disclosure. Not included in the estimate: client-side rendering, data transmission, or verifier device usage.

All data is stored in Supabase EU-West-2 (London) — UK data residency, compliant with UK GDPR. Row Level Security (RLS) is enforced at the database level: your organisation's data is completely isolated from all other clients. Even Varensi's own team cannot access client data without explicit authorisation. The database uses AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit. Supabase holds SOC 2 Type II certification.

You own your data. Varensi acts as a data processor under UK GDPR, not a data controller. Your waste records, classification decisions, audit trail, and compliance checklist state are yours. All data is exportable in full at any time via CSV. On contract termination, you receive a complete data export within 30 days. Data is retained for 7 years (HMRC requirement) and deleted on request thereafter.

All client data is exportable in full at any time via CSV — you are never locked in. On contract termination for any reason, clients receive a complete data export within 30 days. The underlying database infrastructure (Supabase) is independent of Varensi and would continue to operate. For enterprise clients, data continuity provisions can be written into the contract.

The 3-Layer Variance Framework™ is Varensi's proprietary waste classification methodology, developed by Mediahubink. It classifies every waste record into one of three layers: Biological Baseline (unavoidable yield loss — no action), Transient Variance (non-recurring anomalies — monitor only), or Systemic Attrition (recurring process failures — action required). The framework is trademark pending under Class 42 (UK IPO). It is the intellectual property of Mediahubink and may not be reproduced without written permission.

If an authorised user disagrees with the AI classification, they can override it manually. The override reason is mandatory — it cannot be left blank. Both the AI's original classification and the human override (with reason, user name, and timestamp) are stored permanently in the audit trail. This dual record is specifically required by DEFRA's guidance on AI-assisted data entry in DWT submissions and satisfies UK AI governance human oversight requirements.

Varensi is architected for multi-site operations from the ground up. There is no technical limit on the number of sites per organisation. The Portfolio tab provides cross-site comparison. Data is isolated per site within your organisation. New sites can be added directly from the Portfolio tab without any code changes. Enterprise plans include dedicated account management for groups with 10+ sites.