I entered the Investors in People 2025 Awards to celebrate a significant transformation in how we support engage and value our people at Yorwaste. Entering the Awards has given me the opportunity to recognise and reflect on everything I have achieved.
Over the past few years, I have led a real shift in our culture by introducing a new mission, vision, and set of values. Working hard to make sure that these are more than words and instead are something we live by. Our values now form part of the overall employee experience, from probation and appraisals to internal communications and bonus schemes.
Among my most impactful strategies is the launch of Yorwaste’s Values-Based Reward Programme, which celebrates employees who exemplify the company’s core values: Safe, Respectful, Customer-Focussed, Professional, and Resourceful. In the past year, we received 40 nominations each quarter for colleagues who demonstrated our values. From these, 25 employees were formally recognised for their outstanding contributions within that year. One was celebrated as the overall Values Champion at a special winners’ lunch. The programme has helped embed a culture of appreciation and reinforces what makes Yorwaste special.
Our 2024 staff survey had an 80% response rate, reflecting increased engagement from the previous year. Also, 74% of employees felt that Yorwaste is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of its employees. Entering the awards shines a spotlight on the collective effort of every individual who has contributed to building our culture of continuous improvement. It inspires us to keep evolving our people management practices in impactful ways.
Through my entry I can also see how we measure up to other organisations, I can share what has worked and what I have learned. Above all, I wanted to demonstrate that the right leadership and collaboration can shape a better culture.
For me, it recognises the dedication and effort I have invested in transforming our approach and commitment. It also validates my leadership approach and reinforces the intention to continue developing a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
Seeing our managers grow through development programmes, apprentices secure opportunities, and teams trained in conflict resolution, inclusion, and safety shows me that this is not just a workplace. I have seen first-hand that wellbeing, growth, and respect are real. I already feel like a winner.
For my team, this recognition has been a huge morale boost. It highlights the hard work they have put into creating meaningful initiatives. Including introducing health advocates and establishing health clinics where attendees increased from 22 people in 2023 to 70 people in 2024.
Being shortlisted means a lot to us at Yorwaste. Showing that the changes we have made, both strategic and on the ground, are making a real difference. This year, we have seen the results of our hard work: retaining key ISO certifications, earning our 6th RoSPA Gold Award, staying injury-free, and hitting major operational targets. We have seen a 16% increase in safety conversations over the past two years, and 90% of all safety conversations are graded as ‘Green’, resulting in positive feedback to employees.
We have invested in our people and our sites, introduced new technologies such as Pedestrian Detection Systems, launched solar projects, and rolled out new services including food waste collections. Even through a tough winter, our teams kept every site open and running smoothly with more visitors than ever. We are proud to celebrate an outstanding year, driven by our employees’ hard work, passion and commitment.
Overall, being shortlisted encourages everybody at Yorwaste to keep listening, learning, and growing together as we build a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and proud to belong.
Working in the waste management sector, health, safety, wellbeing, operational resilience and performance are daily goals. Our Investors in People assessment showed that our safety culture is now a leadership priority rather than a compliance task, reflecting a deeper commitment to employee wellbeing.
Winning would be a huge honour and a powerful endorsement of the values-led leadership I worked hard to create. Supporting my belief that when we focus on people, we strengthen the organisation in every way, culturally, operationally, and commercially.
To win the award would also reinforce our reputation as a responsible, forward-thinking employer and positively increase our profile when attracting and retaining talent in a competitive sector. Confirming that the connection between our people practices, and business outcomes is real and measurable. An example of how our business performance has improved in safety terms is the 56% reduction in our All Injury Frequency Rate since January 2023. We are also currently 558 days Lost Time Injury Free and have been RIDDOR injury free for over 30 months.
Other examples I am proud of:
•Our HWRC Operational Excellence Incentive Scheme raised site standards.
•The digitalisation of safety checks and QR-code reporting made compliance easier and more responsive.
•Our values and Leadership Behaviours Framework are now fully embedded into appraisals and 1:1s, driving consistency and accountability across the business.
More than anything, a win is for everyone I work with. It means that our values are lived every day. That our workplace is a positive environment where individuals perform at their best. With stronger teams and greater productivity. There are so many personal stories of people who have been supported through difficult times, recognised for their contributions, or given the space to grow and lead. That is what this award really represents to me, a shared achievement, and a celebration of the culture we
Being part of the Investors in People community keeps us focused, accountable, and inspired. It provides a network of like-minded organisations who share our belief that people are the key to performance. As our company continues its growth, we face a common challenge, how do we ensure that our people practices evolve at the same time, but without compromising on culture, engagement or performance? Investors in People provides us with a clear and practical framework. It assesses the effectiveness of our leadership, supports its continued development, and ensures we remain accountable for sustaining high standards.
The assessment process itself has been invaluable, not just in recognising our progress, but in helping us identify areas for improvement. For example, we are now working on embedding our leadership behaviours more deeply, improving cross-team communication, and developing a clearer succession pipeline for key roles.
We have also used feedback to shape our internal communications, training, and recognition strategies. Our monthly Toolbox Talks, Managing Director site visits, and Vivup HighFive peer-to-peer recognition encourage engagement. The Employee Assistance Programme has also been well received, providing accessible support and reinforcing psychological safety as a daily priority.
We have seen a marked decrease in our staff turnover, down from 30.89% in 2021/22 to 22.87% in 2024/2025. Our sickness rate has also decreased and stayed below the waste industry average, from 4.62% in 2021/2022 to 4.13% in 2024/2025.
As a member of the Investors in People community we are able to stay focussed on what really matters. The framework and feedback inspire us to keep improving, while the recognition reinforces that we are heading in the right direction. It is a valuable part of how we continue to grow with purpose, without losing sight of our own unique culture.
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