The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and the Environmental Services Association (ESA) have today (13 November) announced a raft of initiatives that will see the two organisations working more closely in partnership.
Alongside moves to ‘align and strengthen the policy and technical activities’ of the two bodies, CIWM and ESA will also launch a new ‘voice’ for the waste and resource management industry, Resources & Waste UK.
Created as an independent entity, but comprising only CIWM and ESA members, it is hoped that Resources & Waste UK will provide the two bodies with a shared vehicle through which to deliver ‘strong, consistent messages about the industry’s capabilities and needs to government, regulators, the media and other key stakeholders in the UK’.
It will have a small board consisting of three members of ESA’s Board of Directors and three CIWM trustees. CIWM Chief Executive Steve Lee will co-ordinate further support from the staff of the two organisations ‘as needed’.
The partnership working agreement will also see ESA members across the UK being given the opportunity to be part of the CIWM's regional centres and will see ESA editorial published in CIWM's monthly journal.
A champion combining the ‘weight, knowledge and professionalism of the ESA and CIWM’
David Beadle, CIWM’s Immediate Past President who has been involved in drawing up the agreement, outlined how the closer partnership will work. He said: “We have agreed that our respective technical groups will work together so we can create a greater 'gene pool' of ideas and evidence... Drawing on this more robust body of evidence, we want and need to show that we have a strong industry opinion and voice.”
By communicating joint strategic messages that are common to the two organisations, he said that the new organisation would work to “secure the future success and growth of our industry and its contribution to the development of a more circular economy”.
Speaking on behalf of the ESA, Chairman David Palmer-Jones said the partnership working shows an industry maturing and rallying behind a common goal of creating “a more resource-efficient and secure UK”.
He commented: “Our industry has long called out for a champion to stand up for our industry to cut across the political and legislative complexity that we grapple with...we have decided to create our own champion, our own voice that can speak with the combined weight, knowledge and professionalism of the ESA and CIWM membership.
“The voice of Resources & Waste UK will be powerful and will be heard. We have the responsibility to develop our industry to its full potential, delivering considerable economic benefits in the form of significant investment, infrastructure, and new sector jobs.”
CIWM is a not-for-profit professional body for the waste management sector dedicated to the promotion of professional competence amongst waste managers. It represents over 6,000 individuals in the UK and overseas.
The ESA is a trade association representing companies in the waste and resource management sector.
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