Programme

09:00 - 09:30 - Registration

An opportunity to network with peers new and old, and view the exhibition before the conference begins.

09:30 - 09:35 - Chairs Welcome & Introductions

A warm welcome to Resource Conference Cymru 2025 as Jane Cherrington, CIWM Cymru Centre Councillor, welcomes us to Cardiff and begins the conference with an overview of the day ahead. 

09:35 - 09:45 - Wick & Marcross C/W Primary School Presentation 

A unique presentation from Wick & Marcross C/W Primary School will set the scene for a day of resource resilience themed content as we drive the agenda for a sustainable Wales.  

09:45 - 10:00 - Morning Keynote Presentation

Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs presents a keynote address as we focus on Wales leading the way in resource resilience. 

10:00 - 10:25 - Sector Policy Update

A policy update from The Welsh Government's Head of Waste Strategy, Dr Andy Rees OBE, on the latest policy measures impacting the sector, including any impending changes. 

10:25 - 11:05 - Panel Discussion: How are you applying the waste hierarchy to help cut costs?

As we continue to evolve in the operating and managing of wastes in line with policies supporting sustainability targets, this discussion will focus on the practicalities of these changes including:

• Role of waste hierarchy and policies like EPR & DRS.
• Have we driven ourselves into a recycling loop?
• Harnessing circular models to cut long-term costs.
• Preparing for the incoming change of ETS.

Moderator: Jane Cherrington, Director, Local Partnerships/ CIWM Cymru Centre Councillor

Speakers:
Louise Bowe, Head of Packaging Impacts, INCPEN
Tim Walker, Acting Chief Executive, arc21/ President, CIWM
Dr Nadine Leder, Lecturer in Logistics & Operations Management, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University/ CIWM Early Careers Group Representative 

11:30 - 12:30 - Breakout Workshops

Choose which workshop to join with a collective focus on 'the road to Net-Zero':

• ETS for LA's; preparation for upcoming changes 

Participate in this ETS-focused workshop to collaborate on effective preparation for upcoming changes, explore available support, and discuss broader strategies for addressing operational challenges and the benefits of implementing the waste hierarchy to avoid costs. 
This workshop will be facilitated by Andrew Gore, Director - Climate, Sophie Crossette, Director - Zero Waste Team, and Jane Cherrington, Director at Local Partnerships. 

• Climate Adaptation 

This workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Alan Netherwood, Netherwood Sustainable Futures / Honorary Research Fellow, Cardiff University.

• Driving the Circular Economy; practical steps for green skills and sector growth

Operating within a circular economy is our end goal, but how do we get there? Discuss the latest work by the CEI helping to embed practical steps as part of a new CE Competence Framework, help feedback and shape the framework and next steps, thinking about critical areas including the barriers to circularity and how we can support education within the space. Also hear an overview on the proposed outline from the Welsh Government on their Net-Zero Sector Skills Plan as part of a wider efforts in preparing Wales for a sustainable future.

13:30 - 14:15 - Breakout Presentations

Choose which breakout session to join with a collective focus on 'practical steps for resources':

• Experience from a year of Workplace Recycling in Wales

Almost a year since the Workplace Recycling law came into force in Wales, how is it going and what are the key learnings?
Join this session to hear from Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales about the implementation experience to date including the approach to regulation, what some of the challenges have been and best practices workplaces and collectors have adopted to support smooth implementation, compliance and benefits realisation. 
This session will be hosted by the Welsh Government (Kathryn Brown) and Natural Resources Wales (Emma Killian and Rhiannon Munro).

• Digesting the challenges of Food Waste

Almost a year since food waste collections became mandator for businesses in Wales, what have the key learnings been, and what challenges are we seeing?  
Join the session to hear examples of how some collectors have managed the introduction of trade food waste collections and the support and tools available to help your workplaces or trade customers reduce the amount of food wasted in the first place. 

This session will be hosted by Ruth Partridge, WRAP Cymru.

14:45 - 15:45 - Best-Practice in Wales

Highlighting best-practice in Wales, these presentations will delve into specific examples of exciting innovations happening across Wales from circular material processing to innovative infrastructures. 

Moderator: Jane Hall, Green Edge Applications Limited / CIWM Cymru Centre Councillor  

Speakers: 
Nicola Jones, Manager, Steel Packaging Recycling, TATA Steel 
David Gigg, RCP Sourcing Manager, Shotton Mill
Lucy Hoggins, Director, Resilience Sustainable Solutions

15:45 - 16:10 - Afternoon Keynote Presentation: EU Horizon Scanning

With an eye on the horizon, Dr Costas Velis from Imperial College London shares key insights on what's happening in the EU for resource resilience, waste policies, circular economy implementation efforts, and net-zero targets. With this in mind, we will look at what this means for the UK and what we can do in Wales to keep pushing for a sustainable and circular future. 

16:10 - 16:15 - Wrap Up & Closing Remarks

As the conference wraps up, CIWM Cymru Centre Councillor Jane Hall takes us through highlights from the days sessions and how we can look further afield for inspiration to embrace sustainable changes.