Dr Adam Read recognised in King's Birthday Honours List
MBEs also awarded to Clyde Loakes, Chair of the North London Waste Authority and Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy & Sustainability Officer at the British Beauty Council
Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability & External Affairs Officer at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, has been awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours List 2024 for his services to waste and resources management.
The honour recognises Read's contribution to the sector spanning over 30 years. Writing on LinkedIn, he paid tribute to the role his family had played, as well as the industry itself: "It really has been a team effort these past 30 years with employers giving me the time to get involved as a volunteer with CIWM, the CIWM team themselves, the other volunteers, and of course the many friends with whom I have worked with over the years for helping make this happen - ERM, Ricardo plc, SUEZ UK, [and] Kingston University."
During his tenure as President of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), Read focused on promoting the skills necessary to adequately resource the sector for the future. His presidential report provided essential guidance for the rapidly evolving sector as it moves towards more circular solutions. Since his presidency, Read has continued to champion the skills agenda, volunteering as Chair of the CIWM Skills for the Future Working Group and as Chair of the waste and resource management task and finish group, which is part of the UK Government's Green Jobs Delivery Group.
Read has been a dedicated member of CIWM for nearly three decades, and his extensive voluntary work for the organisation includes sitting on and chairing regional committees. He has also been a member of the Climate Emergency Strategic Expert Group, which recently published a paper emphasising the vital role the sector can play in mitigating climate change.
In a release issued, he added: "I'm honoured to have my work for CIWM and the sector recognised with an MBE and would like to thank CIWM for nominating me. I'm touched by their kind words and enormously grateful for the support they have given me over the years. As someone who is passionate about the work our sector does and who values giving back to support those pursuing a career in waste and resources, I'm very proud to have made an impact."
Commenting on the recognition, CIWM's CEO, Sarah Poulter, said: "Adam's recognition is extremely well deserved, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and personally thank him for his service to CIWM and the wider sector. Adam is a natural leader, a fact that was reflected in his efforts to ensure that CIWM and the waste and resources agenda was properly represented during COP26. His commitment to green skills and diversity, together with his passion for promoting the sector to employees of the future, is unparalleled, and we look forward to continuing to benefit from his experience and enthusiasm for many years to come."
John Scanlon, chief executive officer for SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, paid tribute to the role Read has played: "This recognition of Adam's contribution to the sector is testament to his hard work, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise. Over three decades, he has amassed a huge amount of knowledge and insight, and he has a talent for conveying this in a way that inspires others wherever he goes - whether he's addressing an industry conference, spending a day out working with one of our crews, running a workshop with university students or sitting on a government working group, his commitment to continuously improving our sector shines through."
Other notable individuals from the waste and resources sector recognised in the King's Birthday Honours List 2024 include Councillor Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader of the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council, who has been awarded an MBE for his services to Local Government. Loakes serves as the Chair of the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) and also serves as a Non-Executive Director at LondonEnergy Ltd.
Additionally, Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy & Sustainability Officer at the British Beauty Council, has also been awarded an MBE for her contributions to the industry.