Waste management and recycling specialist Grundon has appointed its first risk and sustainability director in a move it said puts sustainability firmly at the forefront of the business.
Toni Robinson, pictured, who joined the company in 1996 as landfill manager, has also become the first female director in its 95-year history. 
In her career at Grundon, which opened its Bristol depot four years ago, she has also been compliance manager, a role in which she also had responsibility for health & safety, and head of compliance.
Grundon has also announced the retirement of Stephen Roscoe from his role as compliance director after a 35-year career with the firm, during which he helped set up its specialist carbon capture and ash recycling subsidiary.
Joining as a landfill technician, Stephen, pictured, became general manager in 1996 and a member of the board in 2002.
While working at Grundon, he also helped establish Avonmouth-based O.C.O Technology, which specialises in carbon capture, sustainable construction product and waste treatment, with three factories in the UK and operations worldwide.
Earlier this year O.C.O Technology wone a King’s Award or Sustainable Development. 
Toni said: “I am both honoured and delighted to join the board and very much look forward to working with my fellow directors.
“As the first director to hold a position specifically focused on sustainability, I feel a unique privilege and duty to lead our collective journey towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
“At Grundon, we do not see sustainability as a challenge to be overcome, but as an opportunity to lead, inspire and make a lasting difference to our planet – I am proud to be part of the top team delivering against that goal.”
Grundon chairman Neil Grundon added: “We are all absolutely thrilled that Toni has agreed to join the board in this new role, which puts sustainability firmly at the forefront of our business.
“Toni’s invaluable knowledge and expertise, especially her understanding across the health, safety and environmental sectors, means her appointment was an obvious and natural choice for us to make.
“At the same time, I must pay tribute to Stephen. Together with Toni, he has been key in driving and directing the evolution of the excellent health and safety culture we currently experience in the business, as well as establishing and achieving certification for the integrated management systems and standards – something we are enormously proud of.
“His extensive knowledge, ability to translate legislation and attention to detail will certainly be missed.”
Toni holds a BSc (Hons) Rural Environmental Science, a Diploma in Management Studies, NVQ Diploma and NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety and three separate Certificates of Technical Competence at NVQ Level 4.
She is a long-serving committee member of the WISH (Waste Industry Safety & Health) Forum, focusing on improving standards within the SME sectors, and also a member of the ESA Health & Safety Strategy Group.
During his career, Stephen has been instrumental in growing Grundon’s hazardous and clinical waste divisions and played a major part in developing O.C.O Technology, where he is also a director.
Berkshire-headquartered Grundon works with customers across the South of England to provide a total waste management service for the reduction, reuse, recycling, recovering and disposal of waste.
Since launching in Bristol, it has opened a depot in St Philips and introduced a £300,000 state-of-the-art electric collection vehicle.
