Our Director, Karen Faulkner was delighted to be invited as a keynote speaker at the recent North West Resources Forum (NWRF), sharing her thoughts on inclusion in waste management. Held in Leyland at South Ribble Borough Council‘s historic Civic Centre, this was the North West Resources Forum’s second in-person event following its launch in April 2025 at the Greater Manchester’s innovative Renew Hub. The North West Resources Forum was established to support all parts of the waste management eco-system to adapt to change, discover innovation and network with like-minded peers.
Like many other sectors, the waste management industry is growing and adapting to the increasing demands of regulation and grappling with ways to make the sector attractive to potential candidates looking for a rewarding career. Karen’s presentation explored the overlap between the challenges facing the equity, diversity and inclusion and the waste management sectors, making a business case that more inclusive recruitment and employment practices will only benefit the sector by broadening the range of creative, innovative and dynamic people working in the industry.
The morning session was Chaired by Jo Holmes, Managing Director of Genee Consulting who act as secretariat for the NWRF and included a great line up of speakers. Joining Karen were:
– Lee Jackson from SmartCarbon® (the industry leading carbon accounting platform) explored the growing importance of carbon as a driver in the waste sector
– Dawn Dungate shared her expertise on the state of the textiles industry, a hot topic with lots of work to be done!
– John Birch from Lancashire County Council took us through the EcoTown initiative and the complex pressures facing for local authority waste teams
For more information on upcoming NWRF events or how to become a Friend of NWRF, please email the team at info@nwrf.org.uk.
