The thought of strategic planning might make our eyes glaze over, but it is key to progress and moving forward. It is especially important for today’s solid waste managers as the industry continues to undergo changes in worker priorities, technology, and ways to connect, along with the impacts of climate change and aiming for a circular economy. These are all key drivers behind the need for planning.
With these drivers in mind, Forward, Together, the Solid Waste Association of North America’s (SWANA) new strategic plan, was developed through a robust process that involved more than 90 SWANA leaders from the U.S. and Canada. Eco Partners President Elizabeth Roe was one of the members who provided input into the plan’s development.
As an industry, protecting human health and the environment have always been core missions for the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). And true for all solid waste managers, the organization sees its core purpose as responsibly managing solid waste as a resource. Its Board of Directors’ mission statement seeks progress toward this purpose through a focus on education, advocacy, safety, and research.
“The prior Strategic Plan set the stage for the remarkable changes and growth…over the past seven years,” said SWANA President Tim Flanagan. He went on to add, “The new Strategic Plan builds on those elements to keep SWANA focused and relevant, as the entire industry moves toward doing more with recovered material so we put less in the ground.”
Four Main Goals of SWANA’s Strategic Plan
SWANA’s new Strategic Plan outlines four goals for the coming years:
Goal 1: Get off the Top 10 list of most dangerous jobs
Goal 2: Become climate champions
Goal 3: Reframe perception of the industry as employers of choice
Goal 4: Continue to strengthen SWANA’s infrastructure and financial viability
A full version of the Strategic Plan — Forward, Together 2023–2027 is available on SWANA’s website and may be viewed by both members and nonmembers. A summarized infographic of this information is also available for a quick read. The new strategic plan will be presented to SWANA’s 11,000+ members for input and discussion at a virtual Town Hall on October 11 at 2 pm.
Eco Partners President to Present at Town Hall
Elizabeth is one of the presenters for the Town Hall. She will speak on the goal to “become climate champions” during the discussion. “With the increasing challenges of climate change, we have the opportunity to manage resources to mitigate climate impacts while providing critical infrastructure to our communities and supporting policies that build a circular economy and improve safety,” Elizabeth said.
Eco Partners recognizes the importance of planning and strategy in the communications you share with your community. We would love to work with you to create a plan for educating those you serve about your solid waste programs. Please contact us .
For more on what we see ahead for solid waste, read Headwinds as we face the future.
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