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Waste King Women’s Perspectives on Waste Management
(MENAFN- Bob Little PR) While working in waste management may be, traditionally, considered a role for men, a growing proportion - currently some 27% - of the UK’s waste management workforce are female.
According to the international network of waste professionals and experts, The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), “Women make a strong contribution to the waste management sector. Women are out there but are just not very visible.”
The ISWA adds, “But women still face challenges. The range of barriers to women’s full participation is broad: from persistent bias in legislation, culture and gender roles to harassment and even physical assault at dumpsites.”
As an equal opportunities employer, Waste King - the UK-wide waste management specialist - keenly embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. A substantial number of its growing workforce are women – and these include Jordan Poulter, one of the company’s driver loaders, and Tracey Bower, one of Waste King’s office-based account managers.
A former teaching assistant who left to start a family and then wanted to return to the workplace to do ‘something completely different’, Tracey joined Waste King some eight years ago and now – as an account manager - works with many Waste King clients at local, regional and national levels, ensuring the waste management services they buy are used in the most cost-efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly ways.
Acknowledging that, in doing her job, she encounters some ‘stereotypical prejudice’ as a matter of course, Tracey said, “It’s mostly along the lines of men insisting on impractical and impossible waste solutions – such as asking for 12 yard skips for removing soil, when lorries can only cope with lifting eight yard skips full of soil. You have to remain professional, being polite but assertive – and be interested in engaging with them to help solve their issues.
“That way, you can soon build a good rapport with the clients,” added Tracey.
Jordan’s job involves collecting and transporting waste materials. A former fleet and car mechanic, Jordan joined Waste King at the beginning of 2024, and works primarily on contracts with care homes and gyms.
Agreeing with Tracey, Jordan said that, typically, the ‘stereotypical prejudice’ she encounters tends to involve comments about her not lifting heavy items and then asking where the ‘real’ driver is. Jordan commented, “Sometimes, you have to have an awkward conversation to clear the air – and then you can show that women are just as good as men in getting the job done, even though they may use different methods.
“Men just want to get the jobs done but women tend to have more empathy with customers and can give a higher degree of customer care,” she added. “In addition, a female perspective on waste management – especially when it comes to the recycling of waste materials – can prove to be extremely efficient, effective and eco-friendly.”
Waste King’s Operations Director, Andy Cattigan, commented, “Both Tracey and Jordan have experienced how, even these days, women are regarded and treated differently from their male counterparts. As waste management professionals who aim to continue operating in as environmentally friendly a way as possible, we believe the female perspective is vital in changing society’s attitude to waste – especially, but not exclusively, in championing eco-awareness.”
Waste King’s Managing Director, Glenn Currie, added, “It may not be surprising that our industry isn’t always many women’s first choice for a career. Yet, as an employer, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping to change this - with more women now becoming loader drivers, like Jordan, as well as taking up roles in customer services, site management and community engagement.
“There’s a lot more to this industry than just bins and trucks, dirt and muck,” he added.
With moves towards ‘net zero’ and producing and reusing items with minimum waste, the UK waste management industry is said to be investing some £10bn over the next decade and hopes to create some 40,000 jobs in the process. Industry projects, including recycling infrastructure, renewable energy and the redistribution of surplus produce to those who need it most, are providing many new, rewarding career opportunities - for people of all genders.
According to the international network of waste professionals and experts, The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), “Women make a strong contribution to the waste management sector. Women are out there but are just not very visible.”
The ISWA adds, “But women still face challenges. The range of barriers to women’s full participation is broad: from persistent bias in legislation, culture and gender roles to harassment and even physical assault at dumpsites.”
As an equal opportunities employer, Waste King - the UK-wide waste management specialist - keenly embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. A substantial number of its growing workforce are women – and these include Jordan Poulter, one of the company’s driver loaders, and Tracey Bower, one of Waste King’s office-based account managers.
A former teaching assistant who left to start a family and then wanted to return to the workplace to do ‘something completely different’, Tracey joined Waste King some eight years ago and now – as an account manager - works with many Waste King clients at local, regional and national levels, ensuring the waste management services they buy are used in the most cost-efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly ways.
Acknowledging that, in doing her job, she encounters some ‘stereotypical prejudice’ as a matter of course, Tracey said, “It’s mostly along the lines of men insisting on impractical and impossible waste solutions – such as asking for 12 yard skips for removing soil, when lorries can only cope with lifting eight yard skips full of soil. You have to remain professional, being polite but assertive – and be interested in engaging with them to help solve their issues.
“That way, you can soon build a good rapport with the clients,” added Tracey.
Jordan’s job involves collecting and transporting waste materials. A former fleet and car mechanic, Jordan joined Waste King at the beginning of 2024, and works primarily on contracts with care homes and gyms.
Agreeing with Tracey, Jordan said that, typically, the ‘stereotypical prejudice’ she encounters tends to involve comments about her not lifting heavy items and then asking where the ‘real’ driver is. Jordan commented, “Sometimes, you have to have an awkward conversation to clear the air – and then you can show that women are just as good as men in getting the job done, even though they may use different methods.
“Men just want to get the jobs done but women tend to have more empathy with customers and can give a higher degree of customer care,” she added. “In addition, a female perspective on waste management – especially when it comes to the recycling of waste materials – can prove to be extremely efficient, effective and eco-friendly.”
Waste King’s Operations Director, Andy Cattigan, commented, “Both Tracey and Jordan have experienced how, even these days, women are regarded and treated differently from their male counterparts. As waste management professionals who aim to continue operating in as environmentally friendly a way as possible, we believe the female perspective is vital in changing society’s attitude to waste – especially, but not exclusively, in championing eco-awareness.”
Waste King’s Managing Director, Glenn Currie, added, “It may not be surprising that our industry isn’t always many women’s first choice for a career. Yet, as an employer, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping to change this - with more women now becoming loader drivers, like Jordan, as well as taking up roles in customer services, site management and community engagement.
“There’s a lot more to this industry than just bins and trucks, dirt and muck,” he added.
With moves towards ‘net zero’ and producing and reusing items with minimum waste, the UK waste management industry is said to be investing some £10bn over the next decade and hopes to create some 40,000 jobs in the process. Industry projects, including recycling infrastructure, renewable energy and the redistribution of surplus produce to those who need it most, are providing many new, rewarding career opportunities - for people of all genders.
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