There aren’t many organisations that encourage their staff to move on after 18 months – but this is just one way in which Recycling Works Services (RWS) shows how dedicated it is to seeing its staff develop.

RWS provides kerbside recycling services for the LB Haringey. It has been running as RWS since April 2005; however, in its previous incarnation as Recycling Works Haringey (RWH), the organisation has been in existence since 2000. In addition, they also supply recycling banks on estates. These are no ordinary recycling banks, however. RWH ran a project in 2004 to improve the area round some of their estates recycling centres. With the help of some local artists, the result was an award for the Best Recycling Initiative at 2004’s Better Haringey awards, held in November.

Being a supportive employer is as important to RWS as providing a quality recycling service. They employ predominantly local people – currently half their staff lives within Haringey. RWS aims to create work for local long-term unemployed people, and ensures that all staff receive a reasonable wage. They are constantly seeking to provide new opportunities for employment and training, to ensure that its employees gain with the skills they need to re-enter the job market, and the support to enable them to do so. After all, working for RWS is not intended to be the final destination, but instead the first step in an employee’s career. 

Case study issued in November 2005