Inspiring Perspectives: How technology, innovation, and leadership drive corporate sustainability forward
On this episode of Inspiring Perspectives, Mike Schwartz, a sustainability leader at Republic Services, discusses innovations in recycling, leadership in sustainability, and the future of corporate environmental efforts.
Mike Schwartz helps drive corporate sustainability at Republic Services, a Fortune 300 company with 42,000employees, more than 13 million customers, 17,000 trucks, 5 million daily pickups, 75 recycling centers, 5 million tons of materials processed in recycling centers, and upwards of 73 renewable energy projects. Needless to say, Mike, a former sustainability analyst and consultant, keeps quite busy.
In this episode, we dive into:
- Recycling misconceptions
- Recycling technology and innovations
- Renewable energy
- The importance of leadership and governance in driving sustainability initiatives
During our conversation, Mike shares the lessons learned from his journey as a sustainability professional and his timeat Republic. Since he’s been there, he has seen wins and challenges and is acutely aware of the opportunities that lie ahead. We also touch on the importance of collaboration and partnerships, and the critical role of regulation in shaping the future of sustainability.
Key takeaways
- Gaining leadership buy-in iscrucial for sustainability initiatives
- Expect resource constraints andlearn to work within them
- Engage and build alliances withinthe organization
- Sales and marketing are essentialtools for sustainability advocates
- Leverage partnerships to enhancesustainability efforts
- Communicate the business case forsustainability effectively
- Continuously innovate and adapt tonew sustainability challenges
- Stay informed about emerging sustainability regulations and standards
Produced by thinkPARALLAX. Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
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