Working in the community

Municipal services are one of the most visible and sensitive local authority services, whilst the provision of effective kerbside collections and street scene services are essential for good public health, location of storage and treatment facilities tend to be perceived as unattractive neighbours.

 

We understand that:

 

• Services need to be responsive and professional to protect and enhance the reputation of the local authority.
• The transition to your new service provider needs to be seamless and personnel must be properly supported and managed from the outset.
• While providing an efficient and effective service, a contractor who cultivates good relations with the community and contributes to local initiatives can deliver wider benefits.
  

We recognise that recycling and waste services and facilities, though essential, can cause disturbance and disquiet in local communities.

SUEZ is working to change such negative perceptions. We are committed to the highest level of professionalism, which is evident from the uniforms worn by our front-line staff to the way we interact with the public. We have management systems and procedures in place to govern the quality of all our activities.

Staff attitude is a critical factor. Our comprehensive training and development programme helps ensure our people give off their best. For transferring staff, our human resources team works closely with contract and operations managers to put them at the heart of the mobilisation process. By making sure the TUPE process runs smoothly, our new employees soon feel a part of the team.

As a responsible company, we believe our services can generate wider social value for the communities we serve. At both local and national levels, we support charities and good causes, get involved as volunteers in projects, and work to raise environmental awareness.

We have well-honed procedures and expert staff dedicated to ensuring that SUEZ operations and facilities become a valuable part of the communities we serve. These include:

 

• Experienced mobilisation teams adept at planning and managing the transition to new contract arrangements, and changes to services including the transfer of employees.
• Local liaison arrangements in place at major sites to support and optimise processes throughout the duration of the partnership, including educational site-tours.
• A training and development team who help identify and deliver courses and coaching that develops the competence of staff so that they can advance while improving the services we deliver.
• Giving Something Back is our programme for community engagement, which involves fundraising for local and national charities, a Give as You Earn scheme, and a network of ‘education ambassadors’.
• The SUEZ communities trust, which awards grants to not-for-profit organisations in the vicinity of our contracts under the Landfill Communities Fund.