WRAP Director Phillip Ward to retire

04 November 2010

Phillip Ward, who was 60 in September of this year (2010), said he had decided to retire at the end of March 2011 to coincide with the conclusion of WRAP’s current Business Plan period.

Mr Ward, who is also an executive Director on WRAP’s independent main Board, joined WRAP in 2004. He has served in a number of senior roles, most recently leading WRAP’s support for local authorities on waste and recycling issues.

A civil servant before joining WRAP working latterly on environmental and local government issues, Mr Ward was closely involved with the decision to create WRAP by Ministers at the then Department of the Environment and the Regions.

Announcing his decision today, he said he was “immensely proud” of the way WRAP had helped recycling and waste reduction become mainstream activities across the UK.  He said that, after eight years and having reached 60, the time was now right to move on but he would be sad to leave.

Phillip Ward said: “When WRAP was created ten years ago hardly anyone had a full recycling service and there were barely any markets for the material collected.  That has changed completely.  Recycling is a way of life for most people.  WRAP has been instrumental in both helping people recycle and reduce the amount of waste, particularly food waste, they create.  I am immensely proud to have played a part in those achievements.

“I signalled to WRAP’s Chief Executive Liz Goodwin earlier this year, as I approached 60, that I planned to delay my retirement until March 2011 to help WRAP deliver the objectives in our current Business Plan which completes then.  I have now confirmed that decision to Liz so she can plan the new organisation she needs for the challenges of the next Business Plan.”

WRAP Chief Executive Liz Goodwin today paid tribute to the “invaluable role” Phillip Ward had played at WRAP.  She said:

“Phillip helped create WRAP, and since joining has played a key role in developing recycling and waste reduction in the UK, particularly in supporting local authorities. His deep insight has helped staff here, the WRAP Board and others in the sector understand the key issues and find ways of tackling them. I will miss his wise counsel and I am grateful to him for his huge contribution.”

Mr Ward said he planned to enjoy his retirement but had every intention of keeping closely involved with resource efficiency issues.