Defra say that the summit, which will be chaired by the Secretary of State for the Environment Owen Paterson, is the first of its kind for the waste industry.
Delegates from waste management companies including SITA UK, Shanks, Viridor and Veolia Environmental Services are set to attend the session in London, alongside financiers from Barclays, Lloyds and BNP Paribas Real Estate, amongst others.
Representatives from the Green Investment Bank, Environment Agency and Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) will also be present, while businesses including Coca-Cola Enterprises, and 2K Manufacturing, are also attending the summit.
Commenting on the summit, Mr Paterson said: There is a huge global market in waste and recycling and I want to see UK businesses leading the way on this.
Dealing with waste and recycling properly is good for business as well as the environment and has the potential to boost economic growth and create jobs. To make it happen I want to break down the barriers businesses face to ensure they can compete and lead in the global race.
Growth
The Department estimates that the waste and recycling sector currently generates over 12bn per year in the UK, employing over 100,000 people and is expected to grow by 3% per year. According to the government and industry representatives are coming together to look at ways to invest in the waste and recycling industry and boost the economy.
‘There is a huge global market in waste and recycling and I want to see UK businesses leading the way on this.’
Owen Paterson, Environment Secretary
Waste & Resources Action Programme chief executive Dr Liz Goodwin, said: A resource efficient economy offers substantial growth opportunities for UK businesses, so investment in the sector needs active encouragement through industry engagement.
WRAP has years of experience working with investors in this sector, and the Investor Symposium offers industry leaders a vital opportunity to discuss the challenges and solutions to unlock economic growth.
William Mainwaring, co-found and chief executive of Vertech and Sicut Enterprises, said: The Investor Symposium offers a much needed forum for the wide range of leaders in the resource management sector to discuss innovations, opportunities and challenges.
As a manufacturer, we are particularly keen to meet with stakeholders from other disciplines and to share thoughts on how to collectively seize the significant opportunities within the sector while overcoming the barriers to growth, particularly investment in small businesses.
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