Diversity brings more breadth and depth of ideas and experience. Veolia is determined that tomorrow’s waste industry will be the beneficiary of diversity.
Getting on with it, stepping up and diversifying are the best three avenues for the waste, recycling, and resource recovery sectors to add value to Australia, according to Richard Kirkman.
The Managing Director for Veolia Environmental Services, Richard has an unwavering sense of purpose when it comes to ecological transformation. And he has big ideas to achieve success.
Veolia is setting the benchmark to develop a skilled workforce for tomorrow’s waste industry, with flagship programs aimed at women, parents, First Nations People and Torres Strait Islanders. It’s also issuing an industry-wide call to arms to boost the employment pool.
“The best business outcomes are achieved by having a diverse team. That’s been my experience,” Richard says.
“We are committed to providing a supportive and culturally safe environment and through that, supporting people from all walks of life and backgrounds and providing them opportunities to grow within our business.
“I feel we’re a safer, stronger, better-performing business because we’ve got that diversity.”
Veolia employs more than 6000 people across Australia – and more than 200,000 globally – in its water, waste, and energy divisions. In 2023, 40 per cent of the company’s executive committee roles were held by women. Not just to get the numbers right, but because they were the best people for those roles. In early 2025 this will reach a 50-50 gender split with a diverse range of backgrounds and career disciplines.
Richard says when diversity is at the top level, it filters down throughout the organisation and becomes part of the agenda.
“I’m really pleased with our diversity; it provides a great dynamic that is changing the look and feel of the company,” he says.
Veolia’s diversity success can be attributed to its attraction and retention programs.
Internally, all staff have access to NextGen, an early careers program that provides ongoing development and skills while Veolia Cares guarantees every employee globally with parental leave, health cover and death benefits.
When it comes to attracting staff, the Women on Wheels program, which provides on-the-job training for women who want to become waste collection drivers, has been so successful that it’s being rolled out nationwide.
‘Veterans at Veolia’ has also supported and provided opportunities for veterans in the transition from service to civilian.
The Future Forward program is another key part of Veolia’s diversity story. A partnership between The King’s Trust Australia, TAFE NSW, community and cultural specialists Bullroarers and AES (Aboriginal Employment Services), the program offers a customised career pathways program for First Nations People and Torres Strait Islanders.
Participants benefit from experienced mentors who provide insights, advice, and connections, fostering a community for ongoing growth and success.
Richard says there has been deep collaboration to devise a program that is appropriate and will attract more traditional owners to the industry.
Ten apprenticeships have so far been offered right across Veolia’s operations, with the aim to welcome 100 First Nations and Torres Strait Islanders into the company through this program. And Richard is not stopping there. He’s calling on other businesses to join the journey, so that between them they can employ 1000 people in total.
“I’m aiming for thousands of job opportunities, not single digits,” Richard says. “We’re making our effort, but I want to bring enough organisations into this to get that number much higher.
“We will be reaching out to a wide group of organisations, people we work with, suppliers and partners in other aspects of our business to explain what we’ve done, what it looks like, the commitments required as a business and the outcomes.
“I’m confident we will find the organisations to do it, but they must be committed. We’re not doing this just so we can put it in our environment and social governance report, it’s so we can provide real employment opportunities, improve our business and do things better.
“We need a lot more people in the next two to three years, currently we don’t have the workforce.”
Logistics, operations management, technology, customer service, regulatory compliance and environmental science are all areas that will provide pathways for people with career ambition.
But Richard describes the waste industry as needing an image makeover to change people’s perceptions.
Veolia Chief of People, Safety and Environment Officer Kim Hall also emphasised the importance of people recognising the industry as more than just waste during a panel session at the 2024 Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo in Sydney earlier this year.
“While the waste industry may not be known as the most glamorous, it offers stable and growth-focused employment opportunities, competitive compensation, and the chance to contribute to environmental sustainability,” Kim said.
“As the waste industry continues to evolve with new technologies and practices, there are opportunities for innovation and problem-solving skills. Employees can contribute to developing more efficient and more sustainable waste management solutions.”
Research shows that in the 18-35 age group, purpose in employment matters. Purpose is Veolia’s wheelhouse.
Richard says ecological transformation, and regenerating resources is not just a guide. It’s what the company does, and he’s excited to bring a new cohort of employees into the fold.
“People want to have that purpose, they want to know what big businesses are doing and really engage,” he says.
“Veolia has 200,000 people globally all getting up every morning and thinking about how they can improve the environment.”
For more information, visit: www.veolia.com
