WRAP
(Waste & Resources Action Programme)
Trustee
Candidate Information Pack
November – December 2015
CONTENTS
Welcome
About WRAP
Role description
Person specification
Timetable
How to apply
WELCOME
Thank you for considering joining WRAP and helping to shape our future.
WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme) was established by the UK
Government in 2001 to find new markets for recycled materials. Since then, it has
developed its role so that it is at the forefront of the sustainability, resource efficiency and
circular economy agendas, providing a range of services that deliver economic value and
environmental benefits for businesses and consumers. In 2014 WRAP became a charity so
that it could expand its reach as well as its sources of funding.
WRAP’s impact is visible to all. You can’t walk into a UK supermarket today without seeing
something WRAP has helped to change or improve to reduce waste or ensure that materials
are recovered. For example Adnams bitter bottles are now 34% lighter thanks to WRAP, and
this kind of light-weighting can be seen throughout supermarket aisles. Such innovations
reduce both the amount of glass being produced to make the product and carbon emissions
during transportation of goods. As part of the on pack recycling label scheme, WRAP’s
Recycle Now initiative means that over 500 brands contain guidance on whether packaging
can be recycled, helping consumers to recycle in the home. Thorough evaluation means that
the benefits of the work are well understood, and what WRAP has achieved in the food and
drink sector is now being replicated with textiles and electronics.
WRAP has a strong track record of authority and integrity. Over the last 15 years WRAP has
been the main delivery organisation working in the UK helping governments implement their
priorities on resource efficiency. As well as ideas and evidence, WRAP delivers on the
ground, acting as a catalyst for change at all levels from local to national, and playing
increasingly on an international stage. It has already worked with United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) on the issue of food waste and is a partner in their ‘Think
Eat Save’ global food campaign. WRAP’s consumer food waste campaign, ‘Love Food Hate
Waste’ has now been taken up in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
WRAP is looking for two or three new Trustees to join the Board and help guide the
organisation through the next phase of its development. In recent years, the pressure on
public finances means that WRAP’s funding from government has reduced significantly and
this trend is likely to continue. To ensure that the organisation makes the biggest impact it is
diversifying its funding base and looking for trustees who relish that challenge.
In addition to someone with an audit/risk background, WRAP is interested in hearing from
people who have a background in: research and evidence; consumer campaigns;
management consulting and the development of new business models; delivering
programmes internationally, and fundraising, including with European and global funding
bodies.
Thank you for your interest and we look forward to receiving your application.
Julie Hill, Chair
Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive
ABOUT WRAP
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit
company operating for the public benefit in 2000. We registered as a charity in December
2014.
Our Vision
WRAP’s vision is a world where resources are used sustainably.
We live on one planet with finite natural resources. It would require resources of nearly 3
earth-sized planets for future populations to consume at the rate we currently do in Europe.
The increasing global population (forecasted at 9 million by 2050) means we cannot consume
at current levels without a change in the way we use resources.
We live in a world where many go hungry, while a third of the food produced around the world
is wasted. In the UK we consume 680 tonnes of materials every year, half of which ends up as
waste and much of which could have been used, costing the economy billions of pounds.
To tackle the challenges we all face, the world needs an urgent and radical step change in
how efficiently we use the Earth’s resources. The future is about enabling countries,
businesses and individuals to move away from the ‘design, make, use and discard’ model of
the linear economy towards a resource-efficient, more ‘circular’ economy. A ‘circular economy’
is one in which we keep resources in productive use as many times as human ingenuity can
conceive; where we can extract the maximum value from products and materials whilst in use,
then recover and recycle resources at the end of each service life.
How we work
Our mission is to accelerate the move to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy through:
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re-inventing how we design, produce and sell products
re-thinking how we use and consume products
re-defining what is possible through re-use and recycling
While there are many environmental organisations actively engaged in raising awareness of
resource sustainability issues, WRAP’s expertise and focus is in helping organisations and
individuals take the journey from awareness to action. WRAP provides information, tools,
advice and help to businesses and consumers to make decisions, often collectively, that lead
to action.
WRAP has built its reputation as a trusted interface and convenor between Governments,
business and communities. WRAP has an extensive network of contacts in key business
sectors, often at the executive board level, as well as with senior Government policy officials,
local authorities and leading thinkers in academia, think tanks and NGOs. We understand that,
in order to become mainstream, sustainable use of resources must be recognised to be not
only good for the environment but also to be ‘good business’. Working in partnership with
business sectors, their supply chains and their customers is fundamental to WRAP’s success.
We focus on three of the most resource intensive sectors where we have deep expertise and
a track record of strong delivery. These are Food & Drink, Clothing & Textiles and Electricals
& Electronics. Together they account for 40% of UK household waste, 80% of the UK water
footprint and 25% of UK carbon footprint.
Our principal activities are:
Research and Evidence
Carefully building and understanding the evidence base is the foundation of all we do.
WRAP has a track record of publishing ground-breaking research and evidence.
Understanding the market failures and other barriers that prevent the sustainable use of
resources enables us to work with our partners to develop practical solutions.
Voluntary agreements
WRAP brokers voluntary agreements between governments, leading companies in the
sector and community groups. Each agreement sets challenging and measurable targets
which the signatories commit themselves to deliver. In turn, we support signatories with their
projects, share experience and collate detailed information on the progress against targets.
Our agreements include:
• The Courtauld Commitment
• Hospitality and Food Service Agreement
• Sustainable Clothing Action Plan
• Electrical and Electronic Equipment Sustainability Action Plan.
Consumer campaigns
Our campaigns provide information and messages that enable households and individuals to
make decisions on consumption, waste and recycling. The signatories to our voluntary
agreements and our partners in local government provide a channel for these messages .
Our three flagship campaigns are:
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Love Food Hate Waste
Love Your Clothes
Recycle Now.
Grant–making and support
Working closely with our funders, we design and deliver grant programmes and other
practical support to promote and encourage activities in waste prevention, resource
efficiency, renewable energy and the sustainability of products and materials.
Impact
We place great emphasis on being able to account not just for the outputs of our work but
also our impacts on the environment, the economy and more broadly on society. We are
committed to using robust evaluation methods that draw on best practice around the world.
Between 2010 and 2015, in England alone, WRAP initiatives
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reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50 million tonnes which is
equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of Portugal;
reduced waste by 4 million tonnes;
diverted 29 million tonnes of waste from landfill; and
reduced water consumption by 856 million cubic litres.
We have recently completed a detailed cost benefit analysis looking back over the last five
years. This confirmed an excellent return on investment; for every £1 of funding on our
priority programmes, we leveraged £2 of external contributions and together this investment
in resource efficiency of £400 million resulted in benefits to society worth £2.3 billion, an
almost five-fold return on total investment and a nearly 20-fold return on the initial funding.
We are confident that WRAP’s programmes and unique approach deliver excellent value for
money for all our funders.
International
WRAP is building an increasing international reputation, and this is providing an opportunity
to extend our reach and increase our impact. For example, in partnership with the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO), we developed a ‘first of its kind’ global food waste guidance tool as part of the UNEP
Think. Eat. Save initiative. It will help governments, businesses and communities to share
food waste prevention expertise on a global scale, and represents an opportunity for WRAP
to deliver impact outside the UK.
Our plans for the future
We have recently published our ambitious plans for 2015-2020 in Resource Revolution:
Creating the Future http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/resource-revolution-creating-future
The key elements of our business plan are to:
Build on our reputation for
 Evidence based understanding of the issues
 Bringing the right people together from around the supply chain to develop a system
wide solution
 Making it happen in practice on the ground and
 Evaluating the outcomes,
Focus on key sectors and priority areas
 Food and drink
 Textiles
 Electricals
All under-pinned by close engagement with the waste and resource management sector and
local authorities.
Diversify our funding base
Historically WRAP received most of its funding from UK governments. With the pressures on
public spending funding this has reduced over the last parliament and we expect our income
to be approx. £25m this year. Our business plan is to develop a broad funding base for each
of our programmes based on
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UK Government and other public sector funding
International funding e.g. EU, UNEP and other international governments
Charitable donations including trusts and corporate CSR funding
Business
Further information about WRAP can be found at www.wrap.org.uk
Experience and Skills
WRAP is looking for two or three new Trustees to help us deliver on our ambitious plans.
WRAP is also looking for a Trustee with the skills to join the Audit & Risk Committee
and the experience necessary to take over as Chair of this committee when its current
Chair retires at the end of his current term. The role of the committee and its Chair are
described in attachment 1.
Role Description – Trustees
The Board of Trustees is strategic and ambassadorial with the day to day running of the
organisation delegated to the Chief Executive and the Executive Team. The Trustees are
accountable to the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
The key duties of the Board are to:
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ensure that WRAP complies with its governing document, charity law, company law
and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
ensure that WRAP pursues its agreed mission.
give clear strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals
and setting targets and monitoring and evaluating performance against agreed
targets.
safeguard the reputation and values of the organisation.
ensure the financial stability, probity and sustainability of the organisation.
appoint and monitor the performance of the Chief Executive.
represent WRAP as appropriate.
In addition to the above statutory and regulatory duties, each Trustee should use their
specific skills, knowledge and experience to help the Board reach sound decisions.
Audit & Risk Committee – Role Description
The main responsibilities of the Audit and Risk Committee are to:
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monitor the integrity of the financial statements;
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review the charity’s internal financial controls and the charity’s control and risk
management systems;
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make recommendations to the Board on the appointment and remuneration of the
external auditors;
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review of the findings of the audit with the external auditors;
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review the independence of the external auditors;
The role of the Chair of the Committee is:
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To provide leadership for the Committee
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To consider the qualities, skills and experience needed on the Committee and make
recommendations to the Nominations Committee and the Board as required
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To ensure that the responsibility and duties of the Committee as outlined in its terms
of reference are well understood by its members
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To agree agendas for the Committee meetings ensuring that all aspects of the terms
of reference of the Committee are covered
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To chair meetings, ensuring that business is conducted effectively and that all
members have the opportunity to contribute
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To agree the minutes of meetings
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To report on the proceedings of the Committee at Board
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To guide and advise the Board of Trustees in the approval of the annual report and
accounts and an appropriate risk management framework
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To ensure that accepted recommendations of the external auditors are implemented
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To meet the external auditors independently from the management at least once a
year
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To keep in touch with developments which affect the governance and reporting
requirements of the charity
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To lead reviews of the Committee’s performance and of the performance of
individual members, considering development needs as required
Person Specification
It is essential that in your written application you give evidence of examples of proven
experience in each of the selection criteria in Part One of the person specification. These
responses will be developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview,
together with the other criteria listed in Part Two.
Part One
1. Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of
trusteeship and an understanding of the respective roles of the Chair, Trustees and
Chief Executive
2. Experience at board level in a substantial organisation in at least one of the private,
public or not-for-profit sectors and ideally with practical experience across more
than one of these sectors
3. Depth of experience and skills in your specialist area. We are open to applications
from candidates with any background although would be particularly interested in
those who have skills/experience in:
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audit and risk (essential if applying for the audit & risk role)
research and evidence
consumer campaigns
management consulting and development of new business models
delivering programmes internationally
fundraising including with European and global funding bodies
4. A proven ability to work effectively as a member of a team while contributing an
independent perspective
5. The ability to think strategically and challenge constructively
6. A commitment to WRAP’s charitable aims and vision
7. Candidates applying for the role of member of the Audit & Risk Committee should
also highlight their practical understanding of financial accounts, risk management
and the role of audit committee.
Part Two
1. An understanding of, and commitment to, the values of accountability, probity and
openness
2. A proven track record of being able to process detail and get to the heart of an
issue
3. The ability to ask probing questions in a constructive way
4. Ability to promote effective working relationships among Board Members and with
management
5. Undisputed personal integrity and personal credibility
6. A willingness to devote the time and effort required to effectively discharge the duties
of this
THE TIMETABLE
The closing date for applications for either role is Friday 4th December.
Please also note the following dates:
 Interviews with WRAP Nominations Committee: TBC during December
 Trustee-elect to attend WRAP Board Meeting January 2016
** remember to please advise us about any dates that are really not convenient for you
when your application is submitted
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this role, please supply the following:
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a short introductory statement demonstrating your motivation for this role;
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supporting statement, explaining how you believe your skills and experience
match the requirements of the role, directly addressing the person specification
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a comprehensive CV including details of your achievements in each role, and
including details of two referees (who will not of course be contacted without
your prior knowledge or consent)
All of these documents should be uploaded to the relevant fields on the website via the
application link below, and please remember to annotate your application with
details of which role you are applying for:
TU4748 WRAP Audit Committee application link
A reminder that this, like most trustee roles is an unremunerated one, although reasonable
expenses will be reimbursed.
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact:
Emma Patmore:
01582 69 77 65
Ian Joseph:
07825 267 500