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Mike Schwartz helps drive corporate sustainability at Republic Services, a Fortune 300 company with 42,000 employees, 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 he learned from his journey as a sustainability professional and his time at Republic — the wins, challenges, and opportunities ahead. We also touch on the importance of collaboration and partnerships, and the critical role of regulation in shaping the future of sustainability. 

Here are some of the key takeaways you’ll appreciate in this episode:

• Gaining leadership buy-in is crucial for sustainability initiatives
• Expect resource constraints and learn to work within them
• Engage and build alliances within the organization
• Sales and marketing are essential tools for sustainability advocates
• Leverage partnerships to enhance sustainability efforts
• Communicate the business case for sustainability effectively
• Continuously innovate and adapt to new sustainability challenges
• Stay informed about emerging sustainability regulations and standards

Links associated with our conversation:

• Mike Schwartz
• Republic Services
• Ecovadis - Business Sustainability Ratings
• UC Santa Barbara, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
• Carbon Credit Capital | Practical Sustainability Solutions
• Blue Polymers - Plastics recycling from curbside to consumer packaging, and back again
• Republic Services and Archaea Energy Launch Landmark Joint Venture to Develop 39 New Renewable Natural Gas Projects Across U.S.

Thanks for checking out our show! It was produced by our team of experts at thinkPARALLAX.

Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

#inspiringperspectives #sustainability #recycling #leadership #SustainabilityInAction #Waste #reponsibility #thinkparallax #RepublicServices #corporateresponsibility

Got a topic you’d like us to explore on the show? Get in touch with us at thinkparallax.com/podcast.