CIWM’s CEO, Sarah Poulter, introduces the Institution’s first Impact Report, which details CIWM’s response to the pandemic in the period between March and September.
This year, we have been faced with one of the most significant and unprecedented global challenges in recent memory.
The Covid-19 pandemic has not only forced us to confront the reality of immediate and grave health concerns, it has also had a devastating impact on the economy, left many of us feeling isolated and alone, and meant that we have each had to learn to live and work differently in the most challenging of circumstances.
It is during times of crisis that we are most aware of the important responsibility we have to support and represent you, our valued members, as well as the wider resources and waste sector as a whole
It is during times of crisis that we are most aware of the important responsibility we have to support and represent you, our valued members, as well as the wider resources and waste sector as a whole.
This commitment sits at the heart of CIWM and, with the support of our Board of Trustees and dedicated volunteers, our team has worked hard over the past seven months to ensure we have been there to help you when you have needed us most.
In this context, I am pleased to share our first Impact Report which details CIWM’s response to the pandemic in the period between March and September.
Rapidly changing circumstance
The report explores the ways in which we have adapted and responded in these rapidly changing circumstances, whilst strengthening and connecting our community along the way.
I also want to assure you that the hard work continues. I am incredibly proud of what we have been able to achieve but I am acutely aware that there is much more to be done and we will be focusing our efforts on responding as quickly as possible as the situation evolves.
In the last few weeks, we have been undertaking collaborative UK-wide research to explore what lessons can be learned from the sector’s response to Covid-19 so far, with a focus on what is immediately needed for further sector preparedness this winter as well as to support longer term resilience.
The results of this work will be shared with you in the next few weeks. We also continue to be closely engaged with the four UK governments on contingency planning for the sector and will be maintaining the CIWM COVID-19 Advisory Group to ensure we have a cross-sector understanding of the ongoing impacts of the pandemic.
So, as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, CIWM will continue to listen, learn, advise, act and, most importantly, look forward. Whatever lies ahead, we will be with you every step of the way, and together we can overcome the current challenges and build a more resilient and sustainable future.
For the full report, click here.
