Veolia is working in partnership with West Berkshire Council to help their operative workforce better manage the “regular abuse” they receive in their day to day work.
Not everyone recognises the valuable role waste collection teams play in maintaining the environment we all share, Veolia says, with verbal and physical abuse by members of the public becoming a significant issue.
A new scheme, called Expect Respect, is now being rolled out across the area before being launched nationwide.
Richard Hulland. Chief Risk and Assurance Officer,Veolia UK & Ireland, commented: “With safety as the first strategic objective of our company, the need for employees to be given the knowledge and training required to protect themselves from incidents of abuse by members of the public is very important.
With safety as the first strategic objective of our company, the need for employees to be given the knowledge and training required to protect themselves from incidents of abuse by members of the public is very important
“We welcome the support West Berkshire have given this initiative and look forward to continuing to work in partnership with them”
The training programme was developed by Veolia to help their workforce, and is being implemented by a dedicated People Development team to maximise reach across operational sites.
It has already been recognised for outstanding commitment to workplace training by gaining a Princess Royal Training Award (PRTA), presented by HRH Princess Anne, at a ceremony held at St James’s Palace in London last October.
Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter, West Berkshire Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “We are pleased to support this new initiative with Veolia as everyone should be able to go to work without the fear of abuse, and it is important to remind people to be patient and drive carefully around collection vehicles as people are working in the roads.
“The work Veolia’s employees do in our area is key to helping us to keep our area tidy, and protect our environment, and I wholeheartedly support their right to expect respect. ”