Influence and partnerships
CIWM is the leading professional body for the circular economy in the resources and waste sector. The Institution forms partnerships and alliances with other groups to extend our reach and influence.
International Solid Waste Association - ISWA
National Member for the UK
CIWM is the UK National Member for ISWA as well as a founding member. ISWA is an international network of waste professionals and experts from around the world whose mission is “To Promote and Develop Sustainable and Professional Waste Management Worldwide and the transition to a circular economy.”
Members of CIWM can become members of ISWA through CIWM, who have an agreement for Online Member, if you wish to know more about this contact membership. Members of CIWM also sit on the International Waste Manager Panel, many of CIWM's members have this international recognition, as well as Chartered status of CIWM.
CIWM's International Group have the responsibility of co-ordinating the business of ISWA as well as discussing issues of a more global nature. This group is selected from the CIWM and ISWA UK membership on a three yearly basis. Anyone interested should look out for an email from CIWM or ISWA.
Society for the Environment - SocEnv
CIWM - Licensed Member Body for the Environment
CIWM is a licensed member body of SocEnv. Operating under a Royal Charter, the Society for the Environment, supported by its Member Bodies, is the body responsible for championing and registering professionals with proven competence in their environmental work.
CIWM and its members have been actively involved in the Soils and Stones project, the programme of work producing guidance for good practice in using the valuable resource. CIWM is also part of the Environmental Policy Forum which leads on the production of policy papers in order to influence environmental policy and its formulation. CIWM has also signed up to the Pledge to Net Zero .
Through CIWM, members can achieve Chartered Environmentalist status, as well as CRWM.
Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum
Working Together for a Safer Sector
CIWM has been closely aligned with WISH along with its sister organisations in Northern Ireland (WISH NI) and Scotland (SWITCH) for several years.
Health and Safety is one of the underlying themes within CIWM's Policy and runs throughout the groups within in CIWM and is a key part of the Chartered panel questioning; CIWM members should be able to demonstrate their support, understanding and compliance with health and safety matters in their working roles, whether that is as a health and safety manager, consultant or local authority employee.
CIWM's Health and Safety Technical Community, for members who are working in health and safety for the resources and waste sector, or who have an interest in the topic can be accessed by your CIWM member account under CIWM Connect.
The National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group - NFTPG
Fly-tipping Partnership Framework: A National Framework for England for Tackling Fly-Tipping Through Local Partnerships
NFTPG has been in existence for over 20 years, originally chaired by the Environment Agency and involving their land owner project. CIWM has been a member of the group from its early formation and support the work of those involved in producing much needed guidance for land owners who are victims of fly-tipping.
The Fly-Tipping Partnership Framework is the next step to allow all parties to look at what is needed in their area to limit the opportunities of fly-tipping, make it easier for victims to clear the fly-tipping from their land and show that it is not just the responsibility of the regulator, Government or Local Authority. Fly-tipping prevention works around the partnership and this framework assembles all the key aspects in to one place.
More information on the Fly-Tipping Partnership Framework can be found here.
International Partnership Human Rights Forum - IPHR
Waste & Recycling Modern Slavery Protocol
CIWM has been working with IPHR through webinars and the release of the Waste and Recycling Modern Slavery Protocol .
In July 2021 CIWM and ESA announced a joint commitment to tackle slavery, forced labour and human trafficking across the industry, culminating in a Toolkit . Since the launch, CIWM has been supporting a number of organisations and initiatives to reduce the risk of modern slavery across its membership base and the wider sector.
More information about the work of CIWM and IPHR is in the press release marking the protocol publication.
Trader Recycling Universal Standard - TRUST
New Accreditation Standard for Recyclers Trading with Charity Shops and Local Authorities
Trader Recycling Universal Standard TRUST – is the outcome of a coalition dedicated to boost standards within the recycling sector.
It has the backing of more than 2,500 charity shops across the United Kingdom, and was formed in 2019 from representatives of the Charity Retail Association, Textile Recycling Association, charity retail chains, academics, waste reduction charities, textile recyclers, and input from the Environment Agency, the WISH and CIWM.