Inconsistent UK policymaking is ‘holding back investment’, says Veolia boss

The boss of one of the world’s largest waste management firms, Veolia, has said that the UK’s inconsistent approach to policymaking meant the company has invested less in the country.

Estelle Brachlianoff, who has run French waste giant Veolia since 2022, voiced frustration at the way the government has tackled legislating the waste management sector in Britain, where recycling rates have been plateauing since 2011.

“We have a few projects which are waiting to be invested in when we have a clear view of the resource strategy,” she said in an interview with the Sunday Times. “We will still invest – but we could do more.”

In 2018, the government published its waste and resource strategy, which set out to make the UK “a leader in using resources efficiently and reducing the amount of waste we create as a society”.

But Brachlianoff observed that despite the time that has elapsed since it “still hasn’t translated into real stuff”

The Veolia CEO criticised the political uncertainty that has plagued British economy in recent years, evidenced by the fact the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had six different secretaries of state since it published the waste strategy.

 “Consistency of approach is the key to having private investors invest,” she said.

Veolia has a presence in six continents, and, as well as its operations in waste management, also provide water management and energy services.

In the UK, it collects waste on behalf of 25 councils, earning it an estimated £4.2bn in public sector work in just eight years, according to government spending analysts Tussell. The firm’s UK division also has over 70,000 commercial customers.

Brachlianoff, who prior to taking over as CEO had been the company’s UK boss, said of the differing corporate cultures between the two countries: “The French love debating… Brits are good at sticking to an agenda, but the French bring more creativity to meetings.”