Veolias Gill Weeks Receives OBE From The Queen

15 June 2011

Gill Weeks, Veolia's regulatory affairs director has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list

She told letsrecycle.com that she "was absolutely thrilled to receive the honour," adding: "I am delighted for this recognition at the personal level but also on a wider level as I believe that it is good recognition for the industry as a whole. I am sure it shows that the establishment is taking the waste industry seriously and this all helps contribute to it having a better profile than in the past."

Ms Weeks said she was also delighted to get the award as one of few women working at a senior level within the waste management sector. She said: "I know other women involved with waste and recycling have received honours including Kay Twitchen at Essex county council.

"Without fear of contradiction, I believe I am the first woman in the waste management industry to receive an honour and I hope it acts as an encouragement to other women to work in the sector and as a boost to those already working in it.

"We need more women at senior levels in the industry and often we don't get enough women applying to work within it."

Looking back over her work in the sector, Ms Weeks said: "I have to say that I have had a great time - it has been a fantastic industry for me. The last 25 years have been a time of immense environmental change with waste management becoming very sophisticated. Waste management has changed and we are so aware now of the importance of recycling, sustainability and climate change."