WRAP published its Annual Report today, and for the first time we showed examples of what had been delivered over the year as a timeline - which I hope makes it simpler to take in. I was amazed at how much we had achieved during that time, in so many different areas.

The variety and pace at WRAP is literally breathtaking at times and it’s one of the reasons I like to work here: if there has been a dull moment since I took over as CEO three years ago, I must have blinked and missed it.

The impact, as I looked along that timeline, was stark: in just a year we have taken the Courtauld Commitment into a new phase, we’ve smoothly incorporated all the activity of six Government-funded resource efficiency programmes into WRAP, we’ve been chosen by the Scottish Government to lead their Zero Waste Scotland programme, we published major new research showing the impact of resource efficiency on tackling climate change at a packed annual conference and – yes – we worked with confectionery brands to deliver a 25% cut in Easter Egg packaging. These examples are just part of the story – they say nothing about the way we have worked with councils, retailers and many other groups to help people recycle more and waste less through our consumer-facing work.  

The pace shows no sign of reducing: we have a new Westminster Government to work with, feeding in to Defra’s review of waste policies as part of their Zero Waste ambition; we are helping the Governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland achieve a step change in recycling and waste reduction and we have ambitious plans to develop a number of voluntary agreements which build on the success of the Courtauld Commitment. All of which supports the aspirations to grow the Green Economy.

WRAP’s success can be a double-edged sword: our track record combined with the quality of our staff mean we receive an endless stream of requests to get involved in new projects.  I know that it is precisely this combination of challenging and varied work, the buzz of making breakthroughs which literally change the landscape and the pride of helping Governments achieve ambitious objectives which attracts high quality people to WRAP.

However, I also know how much effort and hard work goes into it. Working on so many fronts, we have to constantly guard against WRAP become unfocused, or carrying on with things when the job is done.  A lack of focus wouldn’t just be a bad use of public money: it would also be unfair on the very staff at WRAP whose hard work was the reason I felt so proud as I reviewed that timeline.