Meet the North West Resources Forum Executive Team: Leigh Broadhurst

In April 2025, we launched the North West Resources Forum, a community for waste and resources professionals across the North West to share best practice, hear the latest innovations and network with colleagues from across the sector.

As a forum our purpose is to bring together the breadth of the waste and resources sector, from Local Authorities to Private Sector Waste Companies to Third Sector Organisations. Due to the scope of our meetings and network, we sought out a variety of voices, experiences and perspectives to sit on our Executive Team.

We're pleased to have Leigh Broadhurst on our Executive Team, Environment and Sustainable Development Lead at Suez. Leigh's work with Suez, as well as sitting on the CIWM NW Regional Committee, makes him a brilliant addition to the NWRF Executive Team, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to shape NWRF agendas which are of value to our attendees.

How did you first get into the waste and recycling sector?

My first role within the sector was just over 18 years ago, as an Environment Assistant for SITA UK (now SUEZ) undertaking monitoring requirements in line with Environmental Permits and providing associated reports to the Environment Agency.  I’d just graduated from Lancaster University with a degree in Earth Science and Geography was fortunate to start relatively soon after with my foot on the career ladder.

Can you tell us a bit about your current role?

Leigh Broadhurst, Environment and Sustainable Development Lead, Suez

In my current role as Environment and Sustainable Development Lead at SUEZ I help to curate and deliver our triple bottom line (people, planet, profit strategy) and have particular oversight of climate mitigation and adaption plans as well as our biodiversity commitments.  I also represent the UK Business Unit on the SUEZ Group Sustainable Development Network and have responsibility for the production of our annual sustainability report, TCFD disclosure and the maintenance of our sustainability ratings assessments such as our Gold Ecovadis and Advanced Sedex rating.  The rest of my time is spent helping empower and lead our sustainability champions network to continually improve the sustainability performance across our sites, an initiative I’m extremely proud of.

What do you see as the biggest opportunities in the sector right now?

There’s huge opportunity in the sector at the moment given the number of legislative changes happening and the fact that waste and the circular economy runs across every other sector.  Whether it’s the implications of Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility, the Deposit Return Scheme, the Emissions Trading Scheme or Biodiversity Net Gain, the business case for organisations to be more circular, reduce carbon emissions and protect and enhance biodiversity is better than ever.  Our sector has a huge role to play in leading and supporting the transition.

Why did you want to support the NWRF as part of the Executive Team?

Having seen the impact that the North East Recycling Forum has had in bringing people and organisations together to develop their knowledge, create strong networks and create a voice for change, being involved in the growth and strategy for the North West Resources Forum seemed like a no brainer.  Representing SUEZ as part of the Executive Team and providing access to our knowledge and sites as well as also being a member of the CIWM NW Regional Committee and providing insights from this longstanding network also meant that I could contribute towards creating, developing and improving the establishment of the NWRF.  It also meant that I could continue to develop my own network and learn from my peers in the Executive Team to continue to develop as an individual too!

How do you see the North West waste and resources industry evolving in the next 10 years?

The waste and resources industry is currently going through a huge transition with the introduction of various waste sector reforms (Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility, the Deposit Return Scheme and the Emissions Trading Scheme).  Many of these are already starting to impact the sector now but it will take a number of years for their true impact to be observed.  As well as witnessing the impact these changes will have on the sector in terms of changing waste volumes and composition, we will hopefully see the build out of the necessary infrastructure within the UK to support the treatment of associated wastes, and the roll out of carbon capture utilisation and storage technology to help support the UK net zero strategy over the next decade.  That said however, we also need to place a greater focus on actions at the top of the waste hierarchy, i.e. on prevention and reuse.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting in this industry, what would it be?

Get involved with the networks (e.g. NWRF, CIWM, ISEP, etc.) that exist and volunteer yourself to support these networks where possible.  Not only will you learn a lot from immersing yourself in areas or topics you may be less familiar with, but you will also start to build an invaluable network to support you career ahead!

The first ever NWRF Annual Conference has been announced at UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jodrell Bank, on the 28th January 2026. You can book your free place here.