For Podback, as a recycling startup with a new team, the autumn conference and events ‘season’ provided an opportunity to get out and meet people. Due to the changes in our working lives, where most of business now happens in a virtual environment, it was a real boost for all of us to get away from our home offices, switch off Zoom, and meet people in 3D.
The RWM/Letsrecycle Live exhibition at the NEC in September, followed closely by the LARAC Conference in Birmingham were great opportunities to catch up with current Podback local authority partners, and to start meaningful conversations with potential partners about adding coffee pods to their kerbside services. Several of the authorities we met over the two events are already in advanced discussions with us about launching schemes in 2023.
That’s not to say that the wonders of new technology don’t add value to the way we do business. In October, we ran our first webinar in partnership with Letsrecycle.com. The benefits of a virtual event focusing on one topic of interest are clear – delegates have access to a panel of experts, and can interact with them from the comfort of their office, cutting out travel time and costs. And the online format means that, once registered, you can watch live or at a time that fits your schedule.
We were delighted that more than 300 people registered for our webinar, where our local authority partners from Cheltenham Borough Council and Chichester District Council shared their experiences of working with Podback; showcasing how collecting pods can work as part of a weekly kerbside service and alongside other ‘hard to recycle’ fractions in an ‘on demand’ service, respectively. The live broadcast was attended by over 120 people, and we had a lively question and answer session which we had to cut short only because the allotted time ran out. Conversations have continued with a number of the local authorities who attended the event.
As our plans for 2023 start to take shape, events like LARAC’s regional conferences feature in the calendar alongside plans for virtual forums. We’d also welcome the opportunity to attend any events that LARAC members or regional groups are planning – in person, virtual or hybrid – please get in touch with us. It’s good to talk!
Contact: contact@podback.org
To read and download our recent case studies:
Read here: Podback and Cheltenham Borough Council case study
Read here: Podback and Chichester District Council case study
