We are now well over halfway through the year, and I am so proud of all we as a Group have achieved in 2024.
The move to our new HQ is complete, and staff are settling into their new working environment. It has been great to see so many staff visiting from across the country, too, which we hope will continue. We want Unity Place to be a true hub for all staff to come together.
We also launched People XD, a huge milestone for Project One, and our new, streamlined Social Onboarding Induction process for new starters joining our business.
These are both fantastic steps forward in our transformation project, demonstrating our people-led philosophy.
If you haven’t yet had the chance, please also look at the latest edition of One Magazine, which focuses on Pride and reinforces our commitment to being an inclusive and supportive employer. You can read it here.
I look forward to seeing what the rest of 2024 has in store for us as a Group, and I am sure it will be just as exciting as we continue on our journey of growth and transformation.
Justin Galliford, Norse Group CEO
AI and the future of waste
With a firm focus on achieving net zero, Norse Environmental Waste Services (NEWS) is revolutionising recycling practices at the Costessey Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) by investing in AI-powered sorting technology.
Collaborating with Recycleye, NEWS has deployed robotic picking installations to enhance the recovery of valuable recyclables, such as mixed plastic bottles and aluminium cans. This state-of-the-art technology works alongside human operatives, boosting sorting accuracy and efficiency. This advanced AI is as accurate as the human eye, identifying features of an object beyond just its material, colour, or size and recognises previously impossible items, including black plastics or foodgrade packaging.
Recycleye Robotics helps reduce costs by automating manual picking operations, achieving a rate of 55 objects per minute. In comparison, human operatives typically manage about 30 to 40 items per minute,
making their AI counterparts up to 83% more efficient. This automation enhances the efficiency of sorting operations and creates a safer working environment. This is a fantastic example of Norse Group positioning itself ahead of the curve and embracing new technologies. It demonstrates our commitment to building a brighter future for our clients and communities.
Want to be an MHFAider?
As part of our People Strategy and alongside ongoing initiatives in place to promote wellness among our staff, we are expanding our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) provision to enable us to support as many individuals as possible.
We aim to have 300 trained MHFAiders across the Norse Group by April 2027. The first 75 MHFAiders will be trained by March 2025, and each business area across Norse will receive its allocation of MHFAiders.
We aspire for MHFAiders to be passionate about supporting others and championing wellbeing across the organisation.
Employees at all levels in all roles can apply.
To do so, please submit an expression of interest to your manager by 30 August 2024.
It’s important that we hear you thoughts and views from around the Group so please send your feedback to the senior team by emailing communications@norsegroup.co.uk or you can contact any of the team directly, at any time.
Press play on our latest podcasts
Listen to episode 2 of Inside Norse, where Group HR Director Katie Marrison shares her 18-year journey at Norse Group.
Sitting down with Group Strategic Development Director Paul Pawa, Katie discusses how our people are our most critical asset. She delves into the importance of continuous learning at work and how Norse Group collaborates with employees to grow their professional development.
Katie and Paul explore strategies for cultivating great teams and leaders, celebrating employee successes, and supporting our people by living the company’s values and delivering wellbeing initiatives. Inside Norse is available on our website and Spotify.
You can also catch up on the latest edition of Groupchat, where I sit down with Vivien Holland, Director at Local Partnerships, to talk about the emerging trend of local authorities transferring their waste services back to their direct control.
Listen here: Groupchat Inside Norse
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New appointments
I am pleased to welcome Oliver Wild as the new Operations Director at Alliance Norse.
Oliver is a Chartered Construction Manager specialising in local authority contracting, with over 30 years of experience in driving growth and enhancing efficiency, with a strong emphasis on quality and safety.
Oliver joins us from Concorde BGW Group, where he was Head of Regeneration and led transformative social housing regeneration projects.
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I am also happy to welcome Simon Boyd back to Norse Group in his new role as Associate Director – Operations within our Consulting division.
Many of you will have worked with Simon in his previous role as Bids Manager in the Consulting division. Simon will now work with senior managers across the Group to ensure our collective interests are prioritised through the
open sharing of knowledge and resources. This will include driving the delivery of business objectives, leading risk management and business continuity activities, and providing oversight and guidance on essential operational functions, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s mission and goals.
I am delighted to announce that Sarah Purvis has been appointed Head of Transactional Finance with immediate effect.
Sarah will be responsible for all transactional finance services within Norse, including accounts payable, invoice, credit control, treasury, and general ledger. Sarah has been with Norse for several years, during which time she has demonstrated rapid progression and achieved exam success. She is an excellent example of ‘home-grown’ talent, and I am sure you will join me in congratulating Sarah on this well-deserved promotion.
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It’s important that we hear you thoughts and views from around the Group so please send your feedback to the senior team by emailing communications@norsegroup.co.uk or you can contact any of the team directly, at any time.
RUN, NORWICH, RUN,
The countdown is officially on for our team of Norse runners, who will take on Run Norwich on Sunday, 8 September.
We are proud to be the primary co-sponsors of this year’s event, organised by Norwich City Community Sports Foundation. Thousands of runners will take to the streets to raise money for charity.
Our support will also help the Foundation continue to provide inclusive sporting activities for people with disabilities, boost mental health and wellbeing, and help disadvantaged people raise their aspirations using the power of sport.
Team Norse will be running for our two chosen charities – Macmillan and Mind –and I’m sure you will join me in wishing them the best of luck on race day!
As always, we would really like to hear from you, so please send your feedback to the senior team by emailing communications@norsegroup.co.uk, or contact me directly at any time.
Justin Galliford CEO, Norse Group
It’s important that we hear you thoughts and views from around the Group so please send your feedback to the senior team by emailing communications@norsegroup.co.uk or you can contact any of the team directly, at any time.
