O'D News Winter 2016

WINTER 2016 

O’D News 

Driving sustainability - Delivering excellence 

Merry Christmas 

and a 

Happy New Year 

to all our customers and staff 

from the O’Donovan family 

Vitalise Woman of 

the Year 

Jacqueline wins Business 

Woman of the Year 

Read more on page 3 

Inside Out 

Cynthia Barlow OBE shares 

her thoughts 


Will we see a change in 2017? 

With our decision to exit from the EU in 2016, O’Donovan 

will be asking asking Government to consider amending the 

1968 Transport Act in 2017. 

Drivers’ Hours 

Should the law be changed for 

short haul drivers? 


As an operator whose journeys cover relatively short distances, we 

believe that giving drivers the option to work more flexibly would 

enable us to be more environmentally friendly and help cut congestion. 

Inevitably there will be many other businesses whose drivers are in a 

very similar situation. If EU rules were now reviewed, this could have 

an enormous impact on our busy roads, air quality, fuel efficiency and 

more... 

Our TV moment 

Did you catch us on Channel 4’s 

The Job Interview? 


0800 731 3332 sales@odonovan.co.uk odonovan.co.uk /OdonovanWasteDisposal @O’DonovanWaste

OdonovanWasteDisposal 

@ODonovanWaste WINTER 2016 

Welcome from 

Jacqueline O’Donovan 

Needless to say at O’Donovan we’ve already made 

significant safety and environmental improvements, but 

this doesn’t happen overnight and the wider industry will 

need time to make the necessary changes. 

Britain’s decision to exit from the EU was the next 

significant change in the summer. Of course the process is 

yet to reveal its true impact on the country. As an employer 

of Europeans I am concerned how this may impact on 

Britain’s driver shortage crisis and access to labour in 

general in the construction industry; which relies heavily 

on foreign workers. The principle of free movement across 

member states made this process simple and stress-free… 

As a contrast, we also instigated a survey to provide 

support to urge Government to relax EU rules in relation 

to drivers’ hours. The aim of this is to help deliver business 

and economic benefits – we’ve had a great response to the 

survey and you can read more on page 5. 

Shortly after Brexit we learned of a shift in politics with 

Theresa May stepping into the role of Prime Minister and a 

cabinet reshuffle which includes 30% females. It’s good to 

see Theresa May breaking the mould! 

2016 has been quite an eventful 

year with some significant 

changes that naturally have had 

an impact on all of us and our 

industry. 

Finally I was overwhelmed to have received the Vitalise 

Business Woman of the Year award in October. This is a 

fantastic accolade that was made possible by the hard 

work, dedication and support of the whole O’Donovan 

team. More on this can be found on the opposite page. 

So with an eventful 2016 coming to a close, on behalf of 

the entire O’Donovan team I’d like to take this opportunity 

to wish you all a merry Christmas and all the very best for 

2017. 

Jacqueline O’Donovan 

Managing Director 

In May we saw the appointment of Sadiq Khan as London’s 

new Mayor and with this came proposals that include 

plans for direct vision HGVs and a star rating which will 

influence some fundamental changes in the way lorries are 

designed. 

Also an announcement that the proposed Ultra-Low 

Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be brought forward to 2019. The 

accelerated ULEZ plans leave very little time for operators 

to prepare for the reforms. Khan’s pledge for safer and 

cleaner HGVs will mean operators must simultaneously 

reduce their diesel emissions across entire fleets, adopt 

new technologies and invest in direct vision. 

>2 



/OdonovanWasteDisposal 

@ODonovanWaste 

Jacqueline honoured as Vitalise 

Business Woman of the Year 

The Vitalise Women of the Year Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesswomen across 

the UK. The annual awards, which raise funds for nominated charities Tomorrow’s People and Revitalise, 

promote positive female role models in business circles and society, as well as encouraging women to 

showcase their talents to a nationwide audience. 

Previous winners of this prestigious title have been women of huge talent and skill who are also determined to further raise the 

profile of their peers to a wider audience. In fact, two former winners have gone on to be named in the Honours list in recognition 

their entrepreneurial successes – Baroness Karren Brady and Hilary Devey CBE! 

Jacqueline was presented in October with the prestigious award at this year’s luncheon and award ceremony in Birmingham. 

The unanimous judges’ decision recognised not only Jacqueline’s business success, but also her passion and drive to improve the 

industry and the inspiration she has provided to others. 

The judges were impressed by Jacqueline’s management of O’Donovan since becoming MD at the age of 19, navigating the company 

through two recessions whilst growing staff numbers. Her unwavering determination to succeed is evident from her consistent 

investment in the health and safety of her staff, the company’s facilities and its fleet. Her influence is felt industry-wide, with her 

dedication to developing others through mentoring epitomising the Vitalise spirit of supporting and inspiring other women. 

The award marks the fourth time this year that Jacqueline has been recognised for her outstanding achievements, having 

taken home the Outstanding Woman in Construction at the Women in Construction Awards in March, Achiever of the Year at the 

Constructing Excellence Awards in July and Outstanding Commitment to Innovation Award from the British Irish Trading Alliance in 

September. 

Jacqueline said: “It is an enormous honour to be awarded the Business Woman of 

the Year award and I am humbled by the recognition. The heritage and growth of 

the family business is incredibly close to my heart and I am delighted to represent 

them in the acceptance of this award.” 

Judy Groves, awards chair, said “Jacqueline is an inspiration for women looking 

to make their mark in business, and to fulfil their potential. The work Jacqueline 

has been involved in to improve safety standards and stimulate innovation in the 

waste disposal industry is fantastic – truly inspiring. It was a unanimous decision 

among the judges to award Jacqueline as Business Woman of the Year 2016.” 

Award-winning 2016 

0800 731 3332 sales@odonovan.co.uk odonovan.co.uk /OdonovanWasteDisposal @O’DonovanWaste 

>3




Teaming up with 

LCC to bring 

citywide BikeTubes 

to London 

Supporting Pedal 

Power - our local 

cycling club 

Back in September it was Cycle to Work Day, a national event 

which aims to encourage everyone to take to two wheels for at 

least one day to get to work. We teamed up with London Cycling 

Campaign to bring citywide ‘BikeTubes’ to London to help make 

sure more people had the support and encouragement they 

needed to cycle to work for the very first time. 

London BikeTubes 

The London BikeTubes were a series of led rides aimed at 

helping people commute by bike for the first time. Guided rides 

set off from different corners of London on the morning of 14th 

September and accompanied people to central points in the city. 

Each ride was co-ordinated by experienced ride leaders, with 

mechanics from Halfords on hand to make sure all bikes were fit 

for purpose. 

We acted as lead sponsors for the BikeTubes to help promote 

safety and reiterate that it is at the heart of our day-to-day waste 

and construction operations. We appreciate the importance of 

developing a collaborative relationship between the logistics 

industry and cyclists in London. No one should be afraid to 

cycle on London’s roads, and this was a fantastic opportunity to 

encourage more people in London to feel safe on a bike and cycle 

to work for the first time. 

LCC CEO Ashok Sinha said: “Cycle to Work Day is a great way to 

help people enjoy the convenience, health benefits and cost 

savings of cycling to work. We are delighted that O’Donovan 

Waste Disposal is supporting the safety of cyclists. London 

streets can be intimidating in rush hour and the first commute 

is often the hardest. But with the right support more people 

can gain the confidence to commute by cycle – which will also 

help London become the healthier, happier, less polluted and 

less congested city we all want it to be”. 

With cycling being close to O’Donovan’s heart, 

we’ve recently bceome involved with our 

local cycling club Pedal Power. It’s an inclusive 

club for teenagers and adults with learning 

and physical disabilities and offers cycling 

opportunities for people of all abilities. 

As part of our company-wide commitment to promoting 

safe cycling for all we’ve teamed up with Pedal Power to 

sponsor the club’s Finsbury Park track in time for their 12th 

anniversary. We’re delighted to be involved with Pedal Power 

and support the amazing work the club’s doing for our local 

community. It’s vital that we encourage people of all ages and 

backgrounds to get active and cycle, while also educating 

them about road safety. 

Pedal Power was set up by Jo Roach, after she struggled to find 

a suitable club for her daughter Suzie, a young woman with 

learning disabilities, who lives independently. Suzie is very 

good at riding a bike but was only able to do so when she was 

with her mother. So Jo set up Pedal Power in 2004. 12 years 

on, the club has registered 1,500 members; is free to join, runs 

weekly sessions in Finsbury Park and the Emirates Stadium 

and is open to people with learning disabilities. 

Co-ordinator and founder of Pedal Power, Jo Roach, said “This 

donation from O’Donovan means that Pedal Power can provide 

cycling opportunities to people with moderate to profound 

and complex needs. Their donation will pay for the hire of the 

track and storage for our specialised bikes. Without donations 

like these Pedal Power would not be able to run this brilliant 

club.” 

Find out more about Pedal Power by 

visiting: pedalpowercc.org 

>4 





Drivers’ hours - does the 

law need to change? 

Since our exit 

from the EU 

earlier in the 

year it would 

appear to be 

a good time 

to review 

certain laws 

which were 

amended 

previously to 

incorporate 

EU rules. In 

particular 

we’re keen 

to see rules 

around drivers’ hours relaxed and are urging Government to 

amend the 1968 Transport Act. The Act allows lorry drivers to 

drive a maximum of 56 hours per week or 90 hours over a twoweek 

period – subject to breaks and rest periods. 

We’re suggesting Government now differentiates between the 

rules for ‘local’ short distance hauliers and long distance drivers. 

From our perspective employees have to take a 45 minute break 

after driving for a maximum of four hours 30 minutes, instead 

of having multi-rests throughout the day as the work schedule 

dictates. 

Our drivers average five jobs a day, when 20 years ago they 

averaged eight to 10 jobs. The number of jobs has reduced 

because of the conditions our drivers are working under; much of 

the time they are in the cab they can be in traffic jams, which eats 

up driving hours. They do not work arduous shifts covering long 

distances. We operate Monday to Saturday and our drivers want 

to work every Saturday, but they are limited by the rules even 

though the majority of journeys are no more than a few miles. 

Taking part in London’s 

history 

Back in the annals of history the Corporation 

of the City of London regulated the trades 

and Carmen were responsible for transport 

throughout the City. 

In keeping with tradition, each year the 

Worshipful Company of Carmen bring horsedrawn 

waggons and carriages, steamers, 

veteran and vintage lorries, buses and 

coaches, and modern trucks and tractor units, 

to be branded, or marked, with a red-hot iron, 

on a wooden plate, with the year letter and 

the carr number. This is done as a reminder of 

centuries of service to the City and to maintain 

their ancient tradition. 

We were thrilled to take part in this year’s ceremony, which 

sees vehicles brought for the Master’s inspection, then 

branded by the Keeper of Guildhall, using a special brazier and 

gloves provided by the Glovers’ Company. 

We took along our fully restored 1966 Leyland Tipper to have it 

branded - it was great to be part of such an historical event! 

If the Act were amended workloads could be realigned so HGVs 

were working when the roads were less busy. This would deliver 

increased operating flexibility and enable the number of jobs 

undertaken per day to rise. While a relaxation of the current 

rules for short haul trips would be welcome, we would however 

not want the door to be opened to opportunistic rogue hauliers 

who may seek to abuse drivers. Any initiative would need to 

be bulletproof and protect drivers, the wider public and ensure 

safety standards were upheld. 

We’re certain we’re not the only operators who feel 

this way and to this end we’ve been running a survey 

to gather opinions. We’ve had a great response and at 

the time of print, 88% of respondents agree with our 

approach. 

If you’d like to add your weight to the argument, you can 

submit your response to our survey by visiting: goo.gl/ 

lnLBk7 

0800 731 3332 sales@odonovan.co.uk odonovan.co.uk /OdonovanWasteDisposal @O’DonovanWaste 

>5




European 

recognition for our 

safety standards 

Encouraging safer 

operating - supporting 

the Brake pledge 

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) 

PRAISE awards recognise organisations that 

take outstanding measures to improve vehicle 

fleet safety. We were thrilled to be awarded this 

year’s PRAISE award in the SME category at the 

European Conference on Road Safety at Work in 

Brussels. 

The PRAISE project addresses the safety of driving for work 

and promotes best practice to help employers secure high 

standards for road safety. To see our name up with the other 

winners: Johnson and Johnson EMEA and the Belgian Military is 

a huge honour for our family-run business. As part of our award 

submission we highlighted our cross-company standards for road 

safety and our shared vision with all staff to help improve the 

image of our industry. 

The PRAISE judges noted we “…demonstrated strong leadership 

from the top down and is acting as a passionate champion for 

work-related road risk management. They are aiming not just to 

be an example of best practice, but to set the industry standard”. 

To have our efforts recognised at a European-level is a great 

achievement! 

Find out more about the PRAISE Project by visiting: 

etsc.eu/projects/praise/ 

Hopefully you’ve seen some of our flyers this 

year - we’ve been running a campaign to help 

raise awareness of the issues on driving for work 

and road safety. 

We’ve shared a range of key messages using themed hashtags 

from #notadrop, #slowdown, to #sharetheroad and #dothewalk 

throughout the year by sending out flyers and emails. We’ve 

also been encouraging our staff and followers on social media to 

spread the word on safety. 

The pinnacle of the campaign coincided with Brake’s Road Safety 

Week which took place toward the end of November. It’s the UK’s 

biggest road safety event and involved thousands of schools, 

organisations and communities taking action on road safety and 

promoting life-saving messages during the week and beyond. 

Over the course of Road Safety Week we were involved with a 

number of Exchanging Places events in collaboration with the 

Metropolitan Police, the City of London and various local schools. 

Exchanging Places is an award-winning programme which gives 

cyclists the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat of an HGV to 

see how difficult it can be to see a cyclist riding close to the 

lorry. Experienced traffic police officers were on hand to explain 

how this type of collision often happens, and provided an open 

discussion on how to safely share the streets. 

Brake has a vision for a world with streets that are pleasant, 

unpolluted and safe for everyone to use and have a Pledge, which 

calls for people to drive less and do everything they can to protect 

themselves and those around them. 

Anyone can sign the Brake Pledge by visiting: 

roadsafetyweek.org/pledge 

>6 





Inside Out: 

Cynthia Barlow OBE, RoadPeace 

Cynthia became 

chair of RoadPeace 

in 2006 and has 

worked tirelessly 

with the freight and 

fleet industry and 

national government 

to ensure contractors 

and operators take 

responsibility for the 

risks to others, posed 

by their business 

operations; especially cyclists and 

pedestrians. Cynthia was awarded an OBE for 

services to road safety in 2014. 

Q: What do you get the most satisfaction from? 

It matters to me to make sure I’m doing something worthwhile 

in memory of my daughter who was killed by a lorry in a road 

crash. My work with RoadPeace means I’m able to help families 

who have been affected in the same way. 

Q: What single thing would improve the quality of your 

life? 

It may sound selfish but it would be not having to worry 

about money. But I don’t mean that purely from a personal 

perspective, also from the perspective of RoadPeace. We’re a 

charity and so rely on funding and donations – if we didn’t need 

to worry about money it would mean we could concentrate all 

our efforts on the families we are trying to help. 

Q:Where would you like to be right now? 

It’s not a literal place, I don’t need to travel to a warm and sunny 

climate. It would be a place inside my own head where I can find 

a calm, quiet time to be able to indulge my love of art. Whether 

that be visiting galleries, or doing some painting of my own, I 

really connect with art. Much of my own work is botanical – I 

have to focus on the fine details of my subject, thus stopping 

my mind rushing around and giving me some peace. 

Q:What’s the most fun you’ve had at work? 

My last job was an administrative role at the University of 

London and one of my tasks was to organise Royal events for 

Princess Anne who is the Chancellor. Through these events I 

was lucky to meet many interesting and important people and I 

learned so much through meeting them. 

Q:What will industry be talking about in 12 months’ 

time? 

Progress with CLOCS has been huge across the country and 

even further afield. There’s been a huge shift in the last few 

years and I’m hoping to see yet more. 

Q:If you could change one thing about the industry 

what would it be? 

It’s already changing, but some of the smaller operators and 

drivers are still not doing the right thing and it doesn’t need to 

be that way. 

Q:What’s your biggest vice? 

I need to treat myself to something consoling every now and 

then and it quite often is a piece of chocolate! 

Q:What’s been your greatest challenge? 

Certainly my biggest challenge came after the death of my 

daughter. I came to the end of the legal process not really 

knowing anything anymore. Then a friend came to stay and 

reminded me of my love of art and so took me to the Royal 

Academy where there was an exhibition of Botticelli’s drawings 

for Dante’s Divine Comedy. On the way in was the first line 

from the poem: “Midway along the journey of our life woke 

to findmyself in a dark wood”. I connected with these words, 

feeling clearer than I had. I gradually became more aware of 

the problems I had experienced with the legal system as it 

then was, and following on from this, I was determined to bring 

about changes; that resolve is still with me today. 

>7 


O’Donovan team supports great causes 

The team in our Tottenham HQ is always keen to get involved with charitable causes and always go 

the extra mile to help raise money, whilst having some fun at work. 

Channel 4’s The Job Interview 

Earlier in the year we were approached to take part in the Channel 

4 documentary: The Job Interview. Needless to say we agreed and 

Jacqueline O’Donovan and Richard Clarke appeared on our screens in 

the summer. 

The fly-on-the-wall series followed real-life interviews in 

unprecidented detail, with a diverse range of candidates being 

interviewed by different companies over each episode. 

We featured in Episode 4 alongside a party planning company. It was 

a great experience and proved to be a novel way to recruit staff! 

All episodes of The Job Interview are available to watch on Channel 4 

On Demand. 

>Email 

sales@odonovan.co.uk 

>Call 

0800 731 3332 

>Twitter 


> Find us on Facebook 


>Web 

odonovan.co.uk 

O’Donovan (Waste Disposal) Ltd, Markfield House, 82 Markfield Road,London, N15 4QF

O'D News Winter 2016

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