Ms O’Donovan was awarded the honour for services to recycling, safety and to industry in June (see letsrecycle.com story).
She became managing director of O’Donovan aged 19, growing the company’s revenues from £175,000 annually to more than £20 million. Last year, the company was acquired by Nordic construction waste business Sortera, with O’Donovan staying on as chief executive.
The investiture ceremony took place this week at Windsor Castle, with the honour “bestowed in acknowledgment of Jacqueline’s unwavering dedication and pioneering efforts in promoting industry-wide safety practices and her remarkable contributions to the broader industry sectors”.
Jacqueline O’ Donovan said: “I am profoundly honoured to receive the OBE, a testament that the work I’ve undertaken holds significant value, creating a positive impact. It reinforces my steadfast belief in the critical importance of sustainability and safety.”
History
Ms O’ Donovan has worked for O’Donovan Waste Disposal Limited for 35 years. She has also worked with the Fleet-Operator-Recognition-Scheme board of governance in shaping European road safety standards, and was selected as the first female non-executive director of the South-East Centre for the Built Environment. She also became the Vice-Chair of the Department-for-Transport Year of Diversity.
She has said one of her greatest achievements was her contribution to helping change the face of transport policy in the UK, collaborating with working groups and HGV manufacturers to redesign lorry-cabs that has resulted in safer direct-vision designs.
She began working for O’Donovan Waste Disposal for 1988 and since then has received accolades such as the PwC ‘Private Businesswoman of the Year,’ Growing Business Awards ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,’ and multiple ‘Director of the Year’ titles from the Institute of Directors.
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