Constitution of the Waste Industry Safety and Health forum (WISH)

This constitution shall be effective from 16 July 2014 until the dissolution of WISH.

The Forum

1. The name of the forum shall be the Waste Industry Safety and Health forum, hereafter referred to as 'WISH'.

2. The WISH forum is an association formed of organisations which have an interest in and are committed to improving the health, safety and welfare performance of the Waste Management and Recycling industry.

"The Industry"

3. "The industry", "the waste management and recycling industry", and similar such terms, mean all activities involving the minimisation, collection, handling, storage, recycling, reuse, storage, treatment, processing and disposal of waste and recyclable materials and commodities.

4. Such activities include, inter alia,

  1. refuse collection (municipal and commercial);
  2. collection, handling and recycling of scrap metals;
  3.  handling, treatment and disposal of household hazardous waste, industrial and clinical wastes;
  4. collection, treatment and recycling of WEEE products;
  5. street cleansing;
  6. recycling of paper, card, plastics, aggregates, tyres, oils and other materials;
  7. manufacture, supply and support of vehicles, machines and, or, other equipment for use in the industry;
  8. education training and competence development of those that work in the industry
  9. the collection or control of gasses produced by and from waste up to the boundary of any facility for using or processing such gasses
  10. and any other similar activity.

Aims

5. WISH exists as a forum to:

  1. exchange information;
  2. identify discuss and resolve health, safety and welfare issues associated with the industry's activities (as described in section 3) ;
  3. identify, discuss, develop and promote industry good and best practice in relation to health, safety and welfare;
  4. identify, develop, refine and promulgate metrics for measuring the performance of the industry in respect of health, safety and welfare.

6. WISH supports governmental, and non governmental, initiatives to raise health, safety and welfare standards in the industry.

7. WISH is committed to minimising the harm done by the industry via reducing accident incidence rates and minimising actual or potential health impacts of industry activities.

8. WISH will have the following objectives:

  1. To prepare, implement and maintain a health and safety Strategy to assist the delivery of agreed targets, and to review, revise and update that strategy at suitable intervals;
  2. To identify appropriate metrics by which health, safety and welfare performance across the industry can be measured and where necessary, or appropriate, establish and develop new metrics.
  3. To agree targets for improving health and safety and welfare performance (based upon the metrics identified in 8b);
  4. To monitor industry performance and identify key issues for the drafting of standards and guidance.  All guidance shall be directed to clearly defined objectives.
  5. To prepare and implement health and safety action plans aimed at delivering the strategic goals/objectives and targets identified in 8a
  6. To encourage employers and others, including those who are not WISH members, to draw up and implement their own action plans, in support of the WISH health and safety strategy.

Membership

9. Full membership of the WISH forum shall be open to any representative organisation and body which has an interest in the health, safety and welfare performance of the industry and who are willing to publically sign up, ascribe, and abide by the Responsibilities of Full Membership.

10. Affiliate membership of the WISH forum shall be open to any organisation which has an interest in the health, safety and welfare performance of the industry and who are willing to publically sign up, ascribe, and abide by the Responsibilities of Affiliate Membership.

11. The secretary of WISH shall maintain an up to date list of organisations which have been accepted as a Full Member of WISH showing the date or first inclusion in the membership list and any periods in time when the organisation ceased to be a full member of WISH.

12. The secretary of WISH shall maintain an up to date list of organisations which have notified WISH of their acceptance of the Responsibilities of Affiliate Membership showing the date or first inclusion in the affiliate membership list and any periods in time when the organisation ceased to be affiliate member of WISH.

13. "Member", "Membership" and other similar terms in this constitution shall be a reference to inclusion on the memberships list held by the Secretary of WISH on the relevant date.

14. "Full Member", "Full Membership" and other similar terms in this constitution shall be a reference to inclusion on the full membership list held by the Secretary of WISH on the relevant date.

15. "Affiliate Member", "Affiliate membership" and other similar terms in this constitution shall be a reference to inclusion on the affiliate membership list held by the Secretary of WISH on the relevant date.

16. As originating members of WISH the following organisations shall be considered as Full Members of WISH since its commencement until, and unless, they formally renounce such membership or their membership status is varied by a vote of other Full Members.

  • Association for Organics Recycling
  • British Metals Recycling Association
  • Chartered Institute of Wastes Management
  • Community Recycling Network*
  • Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers (CHEM) Association 
  • Department for the environment, farming and rural affairs*
  • Energy and Utility Skills
  • Environment Agency*
  • Environmental Services Association*
  • Health & Safety Executive
  • Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
  • Local Government Employers Organisation*
  • Trades Union Congress
  • Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)
  • Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board (WAMITAB)

(* where devolved government or regional organisations exist then the above will include and represent those bodies)

17. Representatives of all Full Member and Affiliate organisations are to be formally nominated by the head, or other suitably authorised member of their management board.

18. Any organisation may apply to become a Full Member of WISH. Applications should be made to the Secretary with supporting evidence. Such evidence might include, inter alia, and for example: Representation of at least 250 employees, members or interested individuals; regulatory powers or involvement; representation of a group not currently represented by a Member; making or influencing local or national policy.

19 Any organisation may apply to become an Affiliate Member of WISH. Applications should be made to the Secretary with supporting evidence of public commitment to the responsibilities of affiliate membership. Such evidence might include a statement of commitment.

20. Organisations having Full or Affiliate Member status at WISH may be varied by simple majority vote of the Full Membership at a meeting or by any other fair and reasonable open ballot mechanism.

21. Where representatives of Full Members are absent from 3 consecutive WISH Forum or WISH Steering Committee meetings, they shall be deemed as having resigned, and their organisation shall be approached for another representative

Responsibilities of Full Membership

22. Each Full member organisation of the WISH forum shall:

  1. Prepare and publish (where practicable) its own Health and Safety Delivery Plan which (within its respective sphere of influence) shall contribute to and support the WISH forums strategic goals/objectives and targets.
  2. Actively encourage employers and others, including those who are not members of the WISH forum, to draw up and implement their own Health and Safety Plan's in support of the WISH Strategy and members own Delivery Plans. 
  3. Within the limits of their capacity and sphere of influence, support, assist, contribute to, and participate in delivery of WISH Health and Safety Action Plan;
  4. Routinely report to the WISH Steering Committee on the progress of their Delivery Plan; and
  5. Share responsibility for the delivery of the WISH forum's strategic goals/objectives, targets and action plan.

Responsibilities of affiliate membership

23. Each affiliate member organisation of the WISH forum shall:

  1. Prepare and publish (where practicable) its own Health and Safety Delivery Plan which (within its respective sphere of influence) shall contribute to and support the WISH forums strategic goals/objectives and targets.
  2. Actively encourage employers and others, including those who are not members of the WISH forum, to draw up and implement their own Health and Safety Plan's in support of the WISH Strategy and members own Delivery Plans. 
  3. Within the limits of their capacity and sphere of influence, support, assist, contribute to, and participate in delivery of WISH Health and Safety Action Plan;
  4. Make a public commitment to the responsibilities of membership outlined above

Officers, The Steering Committee, meetings and working groups

24. WISH shall have a Chairperson, Vice-chairperson and Secretary who shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the Full Membership at a meeting or by any other fair and reasonable open ballot mechanism.

25. The WISH Chairperson shall:

  1. Be an ex officio member of the forum
  2. Chair meetings of the forum and steering committee
  3. Convene meetings of the forum and steering committee
  4. Ensure that representatives are invited to add items to the next meetings agenda
  5. Only be entitled to vote on any motion or proposal in the event that the vote would otherwise result in a tie.

26. The Vice-chairperson shall fulfil the role of chairperson at any meeting that the chairperson is unable to attend.

27. The Secretary shall:

  1. Be responsible for the correspondence and administration.
  2. Take minutes at all meetings and circulate agendas and minutes of such meetings to the membership
  3. Inform the membership of other appropriate information
  4. Maintain the Membership list as described in paragraph 10 of the constitution.

28. WISH shall have a Steering Committee (Group) initially comprised of the representatives from:

  1. One Chair - No specific affiliation
  2. One Secretary - No specific affiliation
  3. One H&S regulator - HSE
  4. One Union - TUC
  5. Two public authority - LAWS and LARAC
  6. Two private sector - ESA and AfOR
  7. Two training/professional bodies - EU Skills and CIWM
  8. One from other membership - WRAP

29. The composition and size of the Steering Committee may be varied from time to time by a simple majority vote of the Full Membership at a meeting or by any other fair and reasonable open ballot mechanism.

30. The composition and size of the Steering Committee shall be reviewed, varied or readopted by a full WISH AGM not less frequently than every five years.

31. The WISH Steering Committee shall meet no less than three times per year. In the event that one year passes without two meetings having been held then the Steering Committee shall be deemed to have dissolved and a WISH forum meeting of all Full Members shall be held within three months to resolve the replacement or reconstitution of the Steering Committee.

32. The functions and responsibilities of the WISH Steering Committee shall be to:

  1. As may be applicable and necessary direct, oversee, assist or support the work of WISH members and working groups in delivering the objectives of the WISH Strategy, Targets and Health and Safety Action Plan.
  2. Receive reports on the work and progress of working groups and members in respect of the WISH Health and Safety Action Plan;
  3. Keep under review and up to date the WISH Health and Safety Action Plan so as to ensure the timely and effective delivery of the WISH Strategy and Targets.
  4. Authorise, support, assist or direct the WISH Chairperson and WISH Secretary as may be appropriate and necessary in the day to day decision making and running of WISH.
  5. Prepare a report of its actions for review and approval by the WISH membership at the annual meeting of WISH.

33. The quorum for the WISH Steering Committee shall be six, not less than one of whom shall be the Chairman, vice chairman or Secretary. Failure to achieve quorum shall mean that any decisions taken at that meeting shall have to be ratified at the next meeting.

34. The WISH forum shall meet no less than once every two years (the 'Annual WISH meeting"). In the event of three years passing without an annual meetings being held then WISH shall be deemed as dissolved.

35. The quorum of WISH forum annual meetings shall be 50% of the full membership plus one organisation (notwithstanding the presence of affiliate members). Failure to achieve quorum shall mean that any decisions taken at that meeting shall have to be ratified at the next meeting or by any other fair and reasonable open ballot mechanism.

36. Any person may attend and speak at WISH Forum annual meetings and/or steering committee meetings with the prior agreement of the secretary. Duly authorised representatives of all Member and Affiliate organisations may propose a motion but only duly authorised representatives of Full Member organisations may vote at a meeting.

37. WISH and the WISH Steering Committee shall be empowered to create Working Groups.  These will be formed for a single purpose as defined by the WISH forum or Steering Committee at their inception and shall be considered dissolved once that purpose has been fulfilled.

38. Working groups shall have a Chairperson who shall be from a full member or affiliate member of WISH.  It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Working group to provide reports on the progress of the group to the WISH Steering Committee from time to time as may be appropriate and required.

39. The membership of the Working Group shall be made up of persons with the expertise, knowledge and interest in the matter which is the purpose of the group and shall not be limited to full members or affiliate members of WISH.

Constitution

40. The whole, or any part, of this constitution may be altered, amended or deleted at any WISH annual general meeting or extraordinary meeting or by any other fair and reasonable open ballot mechanism.   Any changes shall require a two thirds majority decision by those Full Member organisations present/notified who are entitled to vote.

Is this page useful?

Updated 2023-02-15