Transforming Our Future
Social Value
Waste Experts puts immense effort into delivering significant social and environmental benefits through our comprehensive waste management and environmental services. Our commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond traditional waste management, as we actively engage in various social impact programs designed to promote sustainability education, environmental conservation, community vitality, supplier diversity, and skills and workforce development. We firmly believe that our people are the cornerstone of our success. Therefore, we prioritise and champion equality and diversity in all aspects of our services. We strive to cultivate a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve, recognising the importance of inclusivity and proportionate representation.
Our drive to optimise the social value we create is fuelled by several key factors. Firstly, we are motivated by the invaluable feedback and support from our valued customers. Their satisfaction and trust in our services inspire us to continually improve and innovate. Secondly, we are guided by environmental and government legislation, ensuring that we operate within legal frameworks and actively contribute to sustainable practices. Finally, our unwavering commitment to doing the right thing propels us forward, as we genuinely aspire to make a positive difference in the world. As an industry-leading waste management specialist, we possess the expertise and resources to generate social value not only within our own operations but also by supporting our supply chain, customers, and other stakeholders. We understand that our actions have ripple effects throughout the entire waste management ecosystem, and we take responsibility for fostering positive change.
Through our social impact programs, we actively promote sustainability education to raise awareness and empower individuals and communities to make environmentally conscious choices. We collaborate with local organisations and stakeholders to preserve and protect natural habitats, biodiversity, and ecosystems. By engaging in initiatives that enhance community vitality, we contribute to the social and economic well-being of the areas we serve. In addition, we prioritise supplier diversity, acknowledging the importance of supporting businesses owned by underrepresented groups. By fostering a diverse supply chain, we contribute to economic growth, job creation, and equal opportunities for all.
Skills and workforce development are integral to our mission. We invest in training and development programs for our employees, enabling them to enhance their expertise, expand their skill sets, and reach their full potential. By nurturing a skilled workforce, we not only drive our own success but also contribute to the overall growth and prosperity of the communities we operate in.
- Empowerment of underrepresented communities
Diversity & Inclusion
Throughout the year, we mark numerous days and celebrations to support Diversity & Inclusion such as International Women’s Day, International Men's Day, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Mental Health Awareness Week and International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia to name but a few. At Waste Experts, we create a supportive and inclusive work environment where every member of our team feels valued and respected. We encourage open communication, collaboration, and the sharing of diverse perspectives and have established zero-tolerance policies for harassment and discrimination.
By championing diversity, implementing inclusive policies, fostering a supportive work environment, and engaging with our communities, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of our Waste Experts, customers, and society as a whole. By doing so, we also enhance innovation, creativity, and productivity within our business while contributing to a more equitable and socially responsible waste management industry.
- Talent Development and retention
Employment Opportunities
We support local employment by using SMEs wherever possible for all of our sub-contract services. Through our own recruitment process we have over 95% of our staff from areas local to our offices or recycling facilities. We also proactively try to create employment opportunities for hard-to-reach groups such as with ex-offenders, care leavers, ex-military personnel and the long-term unemployed.
We create employment opportunities internally for all our staff to promote career growth, enhance employee engagement, and retain talented individuals within our organisation. Our culture is built on recognition and reward for outstanding performance and contributions from employees.
- Recognition and reward
Living Wage
As an accredited Living Wage Employer, we strongly believe by investing in our people, providing good compensation, and working conditions puts us in a great position to provide a fantastic experience to our customers. We have chosen to voluntarily take stand to ensure that our employees can earn a wage that is enough to live on, choosing to go a step further than the Government minimum wage.
In a time when the rising cost of living is putting pressure on many people’s pockets, we need to work together to change this – now more than ever. It’s important to us that we pay our employees fairly for a hard days work. It’s not only the right thing to do, it also shows our teams just how much we value them and their commitments they make to our business day in day out.
- Enriching Lives in our community
Supporting Charity
Waste Experts are dedicated to supporting smaller local charities that are close in proximity to our offices and recycling facilities. We believe that they may not necessarily get the exposure and funding that larger charities or organisations receive, so we want to use our strong stakeholder network to promote and support them.
We chose to partner with charities based upon our shared values and invite our customers and suppliers to get involved with all of our charitable initiatives. We find that this fosters a loyalty and sense of responsibility that goes beyond our day to day working relationship.
- ENGAGING OUR EMPLOYEES
Corporate Volunteering
Waste Experts has formed a valuable partnership with On Hand, a platform that enables us to track the impact of our teams and measure our social value. Through the On Hand app, we have gained a powerful tool to align our efforts with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gain a comprehensive understanding of our broader business impact. The app offers us a range of missions and pledges that directly support our chosen SDGs. By selecting these missions, we actively contribute to addressing pressing societal and environmental challenges. Additionally, the app helps us track the specific charities we have assisted, allowing us to measure the positive impact we have made through our contributions.
Moreover, the app enables us to monitor and quantify our volunteering hours, recognising the significant value that our team members bring through their dedication and commitment to making a difference. We also measure our CO2e reductions, ensuring that we actively contribute to mitigating climate change and reducing our carbon footprint. A particularly exciting aspect of our partnership with On Hand is the reward system in place for our team. The platform acknowledges and celebrates the good work carried out by our employees by planting trees on behalf of each team member. This initiative not only recognises individual contributions but also promotes a collective sense of achievement and environmental responsibility.
- empowering individuals
Creating lasting and meaningful impacts on Society
"I am deeply committed to the social value that our business brings to the communities we serve. We understand that our actions have a ripple effect on society, and we strive to create positive impacts beyond waste management. Our commitment goes beyond profit; it extends to fostering social responsibility and making a difference in people's lives."
Shaun Donaghey, Managing Director
Our Collaborated Partners
Take a moment to explore our esteemed partners, who collaborate with us to achieve our sustainability objectives.
