Waste Management
CEF Lead Executives
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TARA HEMMER
SVP & Chief Sustainability Officer
Tara is responsible for growing sustainable service offerings, including recycling, renewable energy and organics. In addition, she oversees all environmental, social impact and governance initiatives. She was previously Senior Vice President, Field Operations for the southern part of rth America, including oversight of collection, disposal, recycling and landfills. She is a member of the Company’s senior leadership team, led by Jim Fish, President and Chief Executive Officer. Hemmer joined the company in 1999 and progressed through various leadership roles across rth America including Vice President of Disposal Operations, Area Vice President for the Greater Mid-Atlantic Area, and most recently Senior Vice President of Operations, Safety and Environmental Compliance. She also serves on the board of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation. Hemmer graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
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KRISTINE RICHMOND
Sr. Director ESG & Sustainability Impact
Kristine leads the ESG & Sustainability Impact program at WM, with a collaborative leadership style to embed sustainability throughout the organization. WM’s sustainability platform focuses on its growth strategy to provide solutions for circularity and lower-carbon shifts in the ecomy; incorporating best-in-class sustainability practices into the business; and pioneering thought leadership with partners. Kristine has 15 years of leadership experience in corporate sustainability at some of the world’s leading companies, including The Coca-Cola Company and Darden. Kristine earned her Master of Environmental Management at Duke University, with a focus on business sustainability and natural resources. She enjoys spending time around water, including going to the beach and sailing, with her husband, Rob and son, Tripp, in Florida.
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TORREY ANDREWS
Procurement Sustainability Director
Torrey has been working on sustainability initiatives for WM for over 3 years. During that time he has had engagements both internally and externally around process improvements, recycle material substitutions and sustainability business opportunities. Prior to WM, Torrey accumulated over 24 years of supply chain experience with major oil and gas companies like Shell and Equinor and independents such as Daniel Measurement and Control and Forum Energy Technologies.
Sustainability Goals
Sustainability Goals
2025 Sustainability Goals
- Transition 70% of collection fleet to be alternative fuel vehicles
- Achieve a 10% inbound recycling contamination at material recovery facilities (MRFs)
- Achieve 100% renewable energy at WM controlled sites
- Develop fugitive emissions measurement systems to provide long term monitoring of methane emissions
2038 Sustainability Goals
- Avoid four times (4X) more GHG emissions than generated through operations
- Manage 17.3 million tons of recyclables
- Reduced on-road fleet emissions by 45%
- Manage 90 wildlife habitat programs and protect 20,000 acres of land
- Avoid 2.6 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by capturing methane at landfills for use by third parties as renewable electricity and renewable fuel
- Provide environmental education to 1 million people
Past Goals Achieved
- Pay 100% of WM employees a living wage (achieved as of 2020)
- Transition 50% of alternative fuel vehicles to run on renewable natural gas (55% of its 19,000+ vehicle fleet is powered with renewable natural gas as of 2020)
Latest Sustainability Reporting
Highlights
- In 2022, reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 10% (2021 baseline).
- Captured 45% of landfill gas for beneficial use.
- Reached 42% renewable electricity sourcing for operations in 2022, nearly double the previous year.
- Recovered 14.8 million tons of material in 2022.
- In 2022, invested $561 million in growing recycling and renewable energy solutions.
- Launched four new recycling automation projects and a new recycling facility, totaling 350,000 tons of new capacity per year in 2022.
- Achieved 19.2% female representation overall and 22.9% minority representation in manager and above role.
- Increased diverse supplier spend in 2022 to $665.5 million, nearly doubling the company’s 2021 spend.
- Conserved nearly 13,500 acres of land through wildlife habitat projects.
- Was included in Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies 2023; Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies 2022; and Fortune’s 2022 World’s Most Admired Companies.
Recent News
2023
Nature-based Solutions to Prevent Pollution and Support Biodiversity (Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)) — This white paper explores how the automotive industry can implement nature-based solutions (NbS) to prevent pollution, with case studies illustrating how auto manufacturers and suppliers around the world are utilizing NbS to reduce pollution and offer co-benefits for biodiversity and communities. Case studies explore several ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, grasslands, as well as stormwater management and green architecture. Case studies feature CEF members Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and WM. (Aug 2023)
Restoring Ecosystems Through Invasive Species Control (Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)) — This white paper details key methods corporations can use to control invasive species, a vital part of habitat restoration and conservation projects. These efforts also provide opportunities for corporations to involve and educate surrounding communities, especially as effective invasive species control extends beyond fence lines, requiring strong partnerships with local landowners, conservation organizations, and others. The report includes ten case studies from North America, Spain, and China and includes projects by CEF members Fidelity Investments, General Motors, and WM. (May 2023)
The Corporate Role in Inclusive STEM Education Opportunities (Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)) — This white paper, sponsored by CEF member BASF, explores how companies can prepare the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professionals by developing inclusive learning opportunities based around conservation concepts and utilizing corporate conservation projects as sites of learning (such as forest and prairie habitats and pollinator gardens). The paper explores several case studies of initiatives led by ten companies, including CEF members General Motors and WM. (Feb 2023)
Community-First Environmental Action (Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)) — This white paper discusses how corporations across the world are interfacing with surrounding communities on issues related to sustainability, conservation and education. It explores opportunities for minimizing unavoidable impacts, rectifying impacts, repairing relationships and creating new approaches for working in and with host communities. It details key steps in community-first environmental action, including effective community engagement, knowledge exchange, and long-term connection, and provides case studies of several WHC-certified programs exemplifying these actions (including from CEF members Boeing, Dow, General Motors, and WM). (Jan 2023)
2022
WM / DOW — Announced a collaboration to increase residential recycling of plastic films, by allowing consumers in select markets to recycle these directly in their curbside recycling. The initiative is starting with a pilot program in the Chicago area but will expand across the U.S. Once at full capacity, the program is expected to help WM divert more than 120,000 metric tons of plastic films from landfills annually. Dow will support this initiative by incorporating recycled content into its products. (Dec 2022)
Building Sustainable Supply Chains (WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council)) — This new white paper by WHC explores how corporations at every tier of the supply chain are recognizing they must address biodiversity and climate risks. With impacts varied, no one approach to integrating biodiversity will work for all companies across the supply chain, the report finds, but locally appropriate, nature-positive actions that align with larger sustainability goals can help corporations address these risks. The report includes nine case studies, including CEF member WM. (Nov 2022)
More than 330 businesses and financial institutions from 52 countries, with combined revenues of over $1.5 trillion, urged world leaders to move beyond voluntary actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss in a new statement. The statement advocates for the leaders to adopt “mandatory requirements for all large businesses and financial institutions to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature by 2030.” CEF Members involved include BASF, Google, International Paper, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Schneider Electric, Tiffany & Co., Unilever, and WM. Businesses can sign the statement here. (Oct 2022)
EMERALD TECHNOLOGY VENTURES — Industrial tech venture capital firm Emerald Technology Ventures launched a new fund to invest in emerging sustainable packaging innovations and startups “across all stages of the circular economy ranging from raw materials to plastics recycling.” The fund aims to raise over $200 million and includes Beiersdorf, Henkel, and CEF members Chevron and WM as limited partners. (April 2022)
Trees at Work: Driving Conservation, Equity and Empowerment Through Urban and Community Forestry (Wildlife Habitat Council) — Provides case studies exploring how 10 global corporations, including CEF members General Motors and Waste Management, have “utilized community forestry work to provide biodiversity uplift, ecosystem services and resident empowerment” across a range of communities. (March 2022)
SPG GLOBAL’S “2022 SUSTAINABILITY YEARBOOK” — Over 700 companies made SPG Global’s 2022 Yearbook, an annual assessment to distinguish the top-performing companies in corporate sustainability. CEF members Cisco Systems, General Motors, Siemens, Unilever, and Waste Management earned the highest “Gold Class” status,achieving an S&P Global ESG Score within 1% of their industry's top-performing company's score. (Feb 2022)
2021
The CEOs of over 1,000 companies
with a combined $4.7 trillion in annual revenue
sent an
open letter to all heads of state
ahead of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
(COP15), urging them to adopt a concrete commitment to reverse nature loss by 2030.
They said the July 2021
draft plan for a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
“lacks the ambition and specificity required to drive the urgent action needed.” Signatories include the CEOs of CEF members
BASF, Google, International Paper, McKinsey & Co., Microsoft, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Schneider Electric, Tiffany & Co., Unilever,
and Waste Management. (Oct 2021)
MORE »
The Recycling Partnership
will open for public comment its “Pathway to Circularity Recyclability Framework” from August 19 to September 17,
“a first of its kind opportunity for the entire recycling value chain and other stakeholders to shape the future of recyclability.”
Developed in collaboration with 35 influential companies—including CEF members
Waste Management, Johnson & Johnson, and
PepsiCo—the Framework defines 5 criteria for transforming packaging recyclability. (Aug 2021)
MORE »
A coalition of over 160 companies, labor unions, environmental and conservation groups, and national, state, and local organizations sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for the infrastructure bills moving through Congress to bolster carbon capture and storage (CCS) policies. Policy priorities in the letter include changes to tax credits for CCS projects as well as financing for commercial-scale pilot projects and carbon-storage pipelines and facilities. Coalition members include CEF members
Archer-Daniels-Midland, GE Gas Power, Honeywell, and
Waste Management.
(Aug 2021)
MORE »
The
Suppliers Partnership for the Environment, an association of global automakers and auto suppliers including
Ford, General Motors, and
Waste Management, published a
new
guidance document to help companies in the automotive value chain establish a framework for carbon reporting. It breaks down 5 KPIs it supports for the industry regarding standard reporting cycles; carbon reduction plans; long-term target setting; consistent supplier education and expectations; and supplier recognition processes. (July 2021)
MORE »
Ethisphere released its 2021 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. CEF members recognized include (March 2021):
- 3M
- ADM
- Aptiv
- CBRE
- Dell Technologies
- Ecolab
- General Motors
- HanesBrands
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Honeywell
- HP
- International Paper
- Kaiser Permanente
- Kimberly-Clark
- Mastercard
- Microsoft
- PepsiCo
- VF Corporation
- Visa
- Waste Management
A major new coalition, “America is All In,” launched to mobilize bold climate ambitions nationally and uphold the federal government’s commitment to climate action—specifically to cut U.S. emissions in half or more by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. Co-led by UN Special Climate Envoy Michael Bloomberg, the coalition effectively merges We Are Still In and America’s Pledge and is the most expansive effort ever assembled to support climate action in the U.S., involving U.S. businesses, cities, states, tribal nations, schools, and faith groups, health care organizations, and cultural institutions. Large companies involved include: 3M, Adobe, Amazon, Apple, ADM, Autodesk, BASF, Best Buy, Cargill, Carrier Corporation, The Clorox Company, Coca-Cola, Danone N.A., Dell Technologies, Dow Inc., DSM N.A., DuPont, eBay, Edison International, Facebook, Gap, General Mills, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Inc., IKEA U.S., Johnson & Johnson, Johnson Controls, Kellogg Company, LafargeHolcim, Levi Strauss & Co., L’Oréal, Mars Incorporated, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Mondelez International, National Grid, Nestle, NIKE, Novozymes, PG&E Corporation, PepsiCo, Salesforce, Siemens, Sony Corporation of America, Starbucks, Steelcase, Target, Tiffany & Co., Trane Technologies, Verizon, VF Corporation, Walmart, and Waste Management. (February 2021)
S&P Global released their 2021 Sustainability Yearbook, an annual assessment to distinguish the top-performing companies in corporate sustainability. The Yearbook covers a record 7,032 companies across 40 countries and 61 industries. CEF members Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Unilever, and Waste Management earned the highest “Gold Class” status by achieving an S&P Global ESG Score within 1% of their industry's top-performing company's score. (February 2021)
2020
Included on Ethisphere 2020 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. (March 2020)
Included on CDP “Climate Change A List,” which recognizes companies for demonstrating leadership on climate risk management in 2019. (Jan 2020)
2019
Recognized as one of 120 companies — out of more than 5,500 companies analyzed — on CDP’s Supplier Engagement leaderboard (“Global Supply Chain Report 2019”) for their work with suppliers to reduce emissions and lower environmental risks in the supply chain. (Feb 2019)