CIWM is proud to announce that Terry March has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours List for services to education in waste and resource management, recognising an impressive career spanning over five decades.

Terry's journey began in the steel industry, where he completed an apprenticeship before moving into management services, quality control and operations. After relocating, he joined Bristol City Council's management services department as part of its waste services, progressing to become a manager of operations, a role he held for 20 years. It was the foundation of a career that would ultimately span five decades and five continents.

Three decades of service to CIWM
Terry's relationship with CIWM began in the late 1980s. He became deeply involved with the South West Region, serving as Regional Secretary for around 30 years and widely regarded as the organisational backbone of the Centre throughout that time. He also served as a General Councillor for CIWM, sitting on the Membership, Education and Training committee, which aligned closely with his personal passion.

Over the years, he took on greater responsibilities across the organisation, serving as a trustee, chairing committees, and serving as CIWM President from 2009 to 2010. Today, he continues to support the professional community, most recently serving as a regional treasurer and as an observer on the Regional Council, with a focus on membership, education and training.

Alongside his institutional roles, Terry spent 20 years as an External Quality Assurer for CIWM WAMITAB, work that he describes as central to his mission of making professional qualifications accessible to everyone, regardless of their background.

Education without barriers
A thread that runs through everything Terry does is a deeply held belief that professional qualifications should be open to all. Through CIWM and WAMITAB and his decades of mentoring work, Terry has helped demystify the route to professional recognition for people across the sector. He is currently mentoring candidates from Pakistan and Canada, supporting them through Chartered Upgrading and Fellowship. His on-line mentoring sessions allow him to work with people around the world, with the same focus he has always brought - helping people find their voice, own their achievements, and demonstrate the value they bring to the sector.

A global footprint
Terry's training and education work has taken him across the world. He has delivered programmes in Singapore, Houston, Beirut and Dubai, ran a course with the World Bank in Saudi Arabia, and during his 2009 CIWM presidency visited Ecuador for a government and British Embassy-organised conference. He also helped establish CIWM's first international online Fellowship interviews, with one of the first candidates joining from Kuala Lumpur. His work across the UK has included extensive delivery in Northern Ireland, as well as Wales and Scotland.

Driving sector transformation
During his career, Terry has witnessed the sector transform from simple waste disposal toward modern advanced resource recovery and recycling. He has not only observed those changes first-hand, but actively shaped them through his institutional roles, extensive training delivery, and ongoing mentorship of professionals through the Chartership journey. He has seen professionals progress from early career into senior roles across the sector, having played a key part in their professional development.

Commenting on his achievement, Terry March said: "This honour means a great deal to me. Throughout my career, my passion has always been educating, training, and helping people progress on their career path. There is no greater reward than seeing those I have supported go on to achieve incredible things, both here in the UK and globally. I am grateful to everyone at CIWM, the South West region, and the wider sector who has been part of this journey."

Sarah Poulter, CEO at CIWM, said: "On behalf of everyone at CIWM, I extend a huge congratulations to Terry. Having worked alongside him for decades, I’ve seen firsthand the difference he makes to our sector. As a former CIWM President, educator, and mentor, Terry has played a major role in transforming the resources and waste industry. This MBE is a well-deserved tribute of a career defined by his commitment to lifelong learning, progression and nurturing talent. I am thrilled for Terry and incredibly proud of this well-deserved honour."

Terry's MBE recognises his services to education in waste and resource management. In his role as Honorary Secretary & Treasurer of the CIWM South West Centre, and supported steadfastly by his wife Mary, he has been a driving force for professional development across the sector for more than three decades. 

The honour was published in the London Gazette on Saturday 13 June 2026.