Our EDI Strategy
CIWM recognises the value in a wide diversity of voices and viewpoints in all that we do, and that embracing this approach will ensure our organisation, and the wider sector, is even more successful.
We are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) through all of our operations and activities, and to educating and encouraging good practice in this area among members and throughout the resources and waste sector as a whole.
We also recognise that the workforce of the future will be diverse, and we want to reflect both our members and the communities we serve.
Our EDI Policy, along with all other CIWM policies, can be found here.
CIWM’s EDI Strategy
To achieve our purpose of moving the world beyond waste, CIWM needs support from an inclusive community with diverse voices, knowledge, skills, and perspectives. With this in mind, we have developed an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy as part of our mission to be open and inclusive to all, regardless of background, ability, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. EDI is also central to our Corporate Social Responsibility commitments and values.
Read our EDI strategy today to find out how we intend to create a welcoming and inclusive community.
How We Created Our Strategy
As the leading professional body for the resources and waste sector, we aim to provide a voice for all our members. When we embarked on creating our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, we knew we needed input from as broad, diverse and inclusive a group as possible.
To achieve this, we created a working group made up of members from a variety of backgrounds, ran focus groups to invite them to share their views, and undertook an EDI survey open to the whole sector. As well as gathering input into the EDI Strategy, one of our aims was to collect data on the sector's composition and the experiences of those who work in it.
CIWM's Sector Inclusion Forum
We have established a Sector Inclusion Forum to support us in delivering our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Strategy and act as an advisory body on its deliverables, including a Code of Conduct.
The Sector Inclusion Forum, chaired by Dr Tracey Leghorn, Chief Business Services Officer at SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, will also establish links with other parts of the sector to drive positive change, facilitate task and finish groups to deliver specific activities, establish member EDI communities to bring in wider member input, develop and endorse the work of the EDI strategy, and promote good practice by highlighting the importance of EDI in the sector. The Forum includes representatives from waste and recycling businesses, key stakeholder groups such as ESA and EU Skills, CIWM members, a Trustee, and a member of CIWM staff.
Our Sector Inclusion Forum Charter outlines how the Forum will help drive the vision and required outcomes of the EDI Strategy.
Since its launch in 2022, we have made significant strides in advancing the objectives outlined in our EDI Strategy. The launch of the CIWM Sector Inclusion Forum marks a pivotal milestone in this journey. To truly move the world beyond waste, we need the support of an inclusive community that embraces diverse voices, knowledge, skills, and perspectives, and the work of our Sector Inclusion Forum will be instrumental in achieving this.
Katie Cockburn, Senior Director of Policy, Media and Education, CIWM.
EDI Resources
EDI Glossary
When we conducted focus groups on EDI, we heard a recurring theme: uncertainty about appropriate terminology can impede our intentions and impact in this area. Most of us are worried we’ll say the wrong thing, which results in avoiding conversations we need to be having on topics such as race, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
In response to this, we've created a glossary of terms for the sector, including over 145 words and phrases we believe are helpful to know and understand. We've created the list in both alphabetical order and by EDI topic, so you can reference words either way.
We hope this helps you start important conversations about EDI.
EDI Training
We know that enabling Equality, Diversity and Inclusion will enrich our sector and deliver benefits for us all. To help facilitate this, we've created an e-learning course to equip you with the knowledge, skills and perspectives necessary to understand and champion inclusion within the resources and waste management sector.
Over five modules, the course explores the importance of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the sector and at CIWM, and the impact it has on our business and the people around us. To support our community in building their understanding of EDI, this course is free of charge to CIWM members.
Best Practice Interview Training
This training resource, developed by Thalia Waste Management, is designed to help hiring managers conduct fair, inclusive, and effective interviews that enable candidates to perform at their best. Covering everything from interview planning and questioning techniques to unconscious bias, reasonable adjustments, and candidate experience, the programme combines practical guidance with hands-on mock interviews to build confidence and support consistent, objective recruitment decisions.
It also includes a workbook that covers the key principles of fair, inclusive and effective recruitment, including interview planning, competency-based questioning, unconscious bias, legal considerations, reasonable adjustments and creating a positive candidate experience. Throughout the guide, you'll find space to reflect, make notes and complete practical exercises, helping you build the confidence and skills to make consistent, objective hiring decisions.
Inclusive Job Description Guide
This guide, developed by Thalia Waste Management, provides practical guidance on developing inclusive and accessible job descriptions that attract a wider range of candidates.
It outlines key principles for reducing bias, using clear and inclusive language, and ensuring roles are accurately and transparently described, with an example job description for a Waste Operative role at a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).