One year ago, we were all met with the unprecedented situation of a nationwide lockdown, brought about due to Coronavirus. A lot has changed since then, and sadly a lot of friends and family have been directly impacted by this awful virus. Whilst we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, we hope everyone continues to stay safe and well.
During the crisis, one thing remained the same, Kenny Waste Management continued to provide a first-class waste management service for our customers, owing to the dedication of all our staff.
At the official announcement on the 23rd of March 2020, the high levels of uncertainty resulted in it being extremely difficult to formulate plans for the weeks and months ahead. However, the Senior Management Team and Board met daily to discuss potential strategies, with the safety of our staff and our customers always remaining at the forefront.
Waste management was classed as an essential service, and we continued operating. We had to find ways to operate in a safe and sustainable manner; this meant our site staff working within a Covid secure environment, abiding by the relevant social distancing guidelines, as well as any staff who could work from home, doing so. Thanks to our Business Continuity Plan, and with the help of our IT company, we achieved this within 24 hours. Whilst this was a huge success, the Board of Directors continued to meet daily to review our health and safety, sustainability, and cashflow of the business. By continuously assessing the situation, we were able to adapt quickly to any changes in Government advice, therefore enabling us to react quickly to every situation.
During the first weeks of the initial lockdown, our domestic skip service grew significantly, as many of those on furlough completed household projects and spring clear-outs. At a time where the UK’s population had little to occupy themselves, it was fantastic to be able to assist everyone through these tasks.
In the same period, a fire at a local garment factory left a large clean-up operation needing to take place. With the majority of the waste being fire damaged, Kenny Waste Management was happy to help out. Even during a period of concern, it was a task we took on, all the while knowing it would be difficult to process. To this day we still have some waste to process.
Because of the contagious nature of the virus, our drivers, as well as office staff, were required to adapt their way of working. Supported by our brilliant transport team, the drivers developed a system in which customers were no longer required to sign documents upon arrival of their skip. By modifying the way that they work, it ensured safety, whilst continuing to deliver for our customers at the same time.
We were also very aware of the difficulties that our commercial waste customers were facing at this time, with many required to stop trading. Unlike some of our competitors, Kenny Waste Management offered to suspend services completely, with no charge, until the customer resumed services. Our commitment to customer care is unwavering in the difficult times, as well as the good times, and we were happy to assist our customers during a period where many had lost income.
The pledges we make to our supply chain are equally as important to us, even when there is uncertainty surrounding cashflow. We have ensured that our suppliers have been paid on time, throughout the pandemic. This is a testament to all those within our finance team and we are sure they will continue their magnificent work in the coming year.
In addition, as a family firm, we hold strong community values and feel that we have a genuine responsibility to our local community. Therefore, despite the crisis, we continued to develop our social enterprise programme ‘Driving Change’ by recruiting a Social Enterprise Manager, as well as achieving our initial target of changing 20 lives through the scheme. This was something that we were particularly proud of, as many other firms would have postponed their pursuit of such goals, until a more stable period. An increasing number of people are facing difficulties finding work and we will continue to give opportunities to those who need it as we grow the Kenny Waste Management Social Enterprise further over the next 3-5 years.
We are also delighted to announce that our headcount has grown over the last 12 months, providing much needed local employment. For the business to grow during such difficult times outlines the fantastic work our employees are doing, and we are sure this will only increase further as restrictions are gradually eased.
With three mental health first aiders within the business, we are committed to assisting our employees, especially at a time where an increasing number of the population are struggling mentally. Even with positivity on the horizon, we will always look out for our employees’ needs as we move forward.
The past 12 months have been a rollercoaster of emotions and totally unprecedented in modern times. However, with the UK’s vaccine being rolled out, everyone at Kenny Waste Management is looking forward to being able to lead normal lives again.
Until then, we will continue to heed Government advice and keep our fantastic employees and customers safe. We wish you all well through the challenges still to come and look forward to the day we can all meet up and shake hands.
