With pressure on everyone to act more sustainably in every aspect of our lives it is great to see that the construction industry is taking waste seriously. Two years ago the Welsh Government threw its weight behind the waste agenda and called upon the built environment supply chain to respond by working collaboratively and address its waste management processes as well as the design, build and management of houses, hospitals, schools and the transport network. 

The evidence of the winning schemes in our own CEW Awards shows that waste is a priority on all Welsh projects, but more than that, the waste handling sector itself is leading the way. 

It is now four years since the launch of the Green Compass scheme, designed to enable anyone in construction to hire a properly assessed and inspected waste management company. From ten pathfinders we now have over sixty organisations taking part. It is a true success story and a great example of what partnership and collaboration can achieve in our industry.