Kenny Waste Management Achieves Stage One of its ‘Driving Change’ Social Enterprise Goal
Recruits for 20 New Roles, 17 for Adults from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
Manchester’s largest independent total waste management business, Kenny Waste Management, has just completed the first stage of its new social enterprise initiative for the region. Called ‘Driving Change’, it is designed to provide long-term, life-changing employment opportunities for local adults.With the recent recruitment of its first degree-level apprentice, the company has now met its initial goal of employing an additional 20 people before the end of 2020, including 17 from challenging backgrounds for whom finding employment opportunities can often prove difficult. This includes those with little or no work experience, a lack of education or economic support, and ex-offenders.
According to a report by Private Equity Foundation Impetus, Manchester local authority has the highest NEET (not in employment, education or training) rate of any local authority in the North West. At the same time, the NEET rate in the North West is consistently higher than the national NEET rate, claims the study, while a previous report from the same organisation discovered that “Disadvantaged young people are twice as likely to be out of education, employment and training …as their better-off peers…The group who are both low qualified and from disadvantaged backgrounds are doubly disadvantaged, and most likely to be locked out of the labour market when aged 18-24.”
In the Greater Manchester Combined Area (GMCA), 39% of young people were disadvantaged, the report found (10,900), while in the Salford GMCA 23% of young people were disadvantaged (3,200) according to the report. 1
Neil Mackey, Managing Director, Kenny Waste Management, said, “We have made a conscious decision to make a real difference to our local community. This includes investing our time, expertise and capital into an exciting and entirely new venture for the company that provides life-changing results for people in the region who can struggle to find employment.
“Last year we created the Kenny Waste Management Social Enterprise initiative, ‘Driving Change’, and set ourselves a target of changing 20 lives by 2020. We are delighted that we have now reached this goal with the hire of Josh Brewer, our first ever Degree apprentice, in conjunction with the University of Chester. “Over the course of the programme, Kenny Waste Management has hired seven apprentices from different educational backgrounds, six long-term unemployed and seven ex-offenders for a range of jobs throughout the organisation, including in customer service and compliance.
Neil added, “This ongoing scheme reflects the community values that we as a family firm hold dear, which includes a genuine responsibility towards our local community. We strongly believe in changing lives by giving people from all walks of life a chance to realise their potential in a supportive and encouraging environment. We care about their future, not their past, and want to give young and inexperienced people the opportunity they need to start on an established and stable career path.”
He continued, “This initiative has not only helped the people we employ but has also benefitted our business and working environment. We’ve seen so many positive changes through this programme – including tapping into an incredible pool of talented, focussed people – in such a short period of time, that we see this as just the beginning.
“Our mantra is “the greatest waste in life is wasted potential”, and we really value the difference initiatives like this can make. it is fully supported by all our staff who understands how important access to long-term employment opportunities is for people, especially those from challenging backgrounds.
“We are currently planning the next 3-5 years for our Social Enterprise programme and will continue to ensure that local people will be given opportunities within our business.“
