Every so often we like to shine the spotlight on our members, and in this case one of the members of the Bristol Initiative. We sat down with Gary Mckinnon, Head of Commercial at Bristol Waste to talk about their life at Bristol Waste and their relationship with the Bristol Initiative.
Tell us about your role – what do you have responsibility for? What does a typical day look like?
As the Head of Commercial at Bristol Waste Company, my responsibilities include overseeing our commercial side, which involves providing waste management, facilities management, and security services to more than 500 businesses and organisations. My primary focus is developing our commercial operations by growing our customer base and promoting the wide range of services that Bristol Waste offers to businesses both in Bristol and the West.
A typical day for me starts with reviewing our operations to ensure we are delivering the services we’ve promised to our existing customers. This includes addressing any immediate issues and working closely with different teams to identify ways to improve our existing processes and the service we deliver to customers. Each day can bring different challenges, but the core focus always remains our customers, the importance of delivering what we promise and expanding our reach.
What does your organisation do? Why do you like working for them?
Bristol Waste is a waste management and recycling company with two main areas of operation. On the municipal side, we handle waste and recycling collection for households across Bristol. On the commercial side, which I oversee, we provide a wide range of services to businesses, including waste management, recycling (covering food, glass, and other materials), as well as facilities management services like cleaning and security. We are entrusted with prestigious buildings such as the M Shed museum and We The Curious science centre, and one of our latest new contracts is the University of the West of England.
I joined Bristol Waste a year ago, having worked in the waste industry for over 25 years. I appreciate working here because our company is deeply embedded in the community in Bristol and the West, with a mission to deliver sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions.
Unlike many of the national or regional companies I've worked for, which often focus solely on profit, Bristol Waste is committed to giving back to the city and other places it serves. While we are a business that needs to be profitable, our work is also about creating positive environmental impacts and helping businesses achieve their sustainability goals. Our profits go towards improving wider council services, and we deliver social impact worth more than £30 million each year.
Why have you joined the Bristol Initiative?
We joined the Bristol Initiative because we are a key employer in Bristol, we share its vision, and are committed to contributing to the city's success and sustainability. Being part of the Bristol Initiative allows us to work alongside other organisations and businesses towards shared goals, such as improving the city’s economic growth, its environmental outcomes and promoting sustainability. Through our services – whether it’s commercial waste and recycling collections, the green products we use for our cleaning services, or new electric vehicles for our security work, or the fact that over 80% of our workforce is local, and we use local suppliers where possible – we aim to give back to Bristol and support the One City Plan that envisions a cleaner, greener city. It's a collective e ort, and we are proud to be part of this multi-organisational and community-driven approach.
What are the key agendas that you’re looking forward to getting involved with?
We are excited to work with more members of Business West and get involved with initiatives that promote a closed-loop approach to sustainability. For example, Bristol Waste works with businesses to collect waste, which is then processed and recycled into new products or energy for Bristol homes. We ensure that the companies we supply with recycled materials are ethical and committed to reusing those materials.
We also have the Digital Inclusion Scheme, where we can collect items like phones and computers from businesses, which are then donated to schools, charities and marginalised communities.
We’re looking forward to collaborating with our partners within the initiative to explore opportunities for preferential rates or services. Our main focus remains on handling waste and recycling responsibly within Bristol and the region and ensuring it is managed in an environmentally sustainable way. As part of this work, we are due to open a multi-million pound processing unit at Avonmouth early in 2025.
Where is your favourite place to visit in Bristol?
As someone relatively new to Bristol, I’m still exploring all that the city has to offer. Each place I visit seems to be better than the last! However, from a family perspective, we enjoy visiting the Bristol Hippodrome Theatre – Bristol has a vibrant theatre and music scene and lots to do with fantastic shows and visitor attractions. My son also loves the Lego shop, so that’s always one of our regular stops!
If you are a member of a Bussiness West Chambers of Commerce and would like to be featured in a blog just like this one then you can get in touch.
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