Andrea Svendsen is WM's sustainability and communications manager. She said: “While we've offered internal sustainability training in the past, it's mostly been limited to office staff. It’s been very difficult to get time with our operational team due to their schedules. This time around we wanted to include everyone.”
This was a new area. So Tori Calver, SBN’s Head of Advisory, worked closely with Andrea and WM operations staff to devise the right programme.
Andrea said: “It took a number of iterations to create content that is meaningful to our drivers and operators.”
The result was a series of 15-minute sessions for operational teams and a 90-minute session for office-based staff. They cover everything from climate change and transport to the circular economy and recycling. They're pitched to be suitable for everyone, from account managers to drivers. Tori was even able to source and incorporate the staff’s own stories from experiences like the Cyclone Gabrielle floods. These were used as discussion prompts. They made for much more engaging discussion on climate change and resilience.
Each session was designed so that Andrea could produce a video to model the presentation. Other managers in the firm can then take the material and present it themselves.
“We wanted practical training that links back to what our team does at WM,” said Andrea, “so they can understand what we’re doing as part of a bigger picture. The feedback we’ve had has been positive. Our team appreciate learning how our work addresses climate change and supports a circular economy. It's connecting daily tasks to our broader environmental impact."
The plan is for at least a third of the staff to go through the training each year. The material will be regularly updated. The results will be monitored, with the training tailored to respond to feedback.
Tori said: “It was a great benefit to have such powerful buy-in for this work, right to the top of the organisation. This pioneering approach, with a sustainably linked loan, makes this a core KPI supported at leadership level. It’s the sort of integration we always recommend in our work. It’s an important way to make sure real progress happens.”
Andrea adds: “Tori's expertise and approach were exceptional. Her patience, guidance and insightful suggestions were invaluable. SBN is our go-to for sustainability initiatives, thanks to our strong, trust-based relationship.
“Tori has also presented to some of our wider team in the past. She struck the perfect balance - neither condescending nor overly technical. This track record made you our clear choice for this project.”