CEO Of WM Talks About Sustainability And The Role Of Sport In Driving Change

When I work on sustainability and innovation projects, I frequently hear the myth that it’s easy for small brands to change because they don’t have to move a mountain of people and systems.

The truth is that change is only easy for brands that embrace a culture of innovation, which includes listening to employees, consumers, communities and key stakeholders, and having the willingness to walk away from old models in favor of new models.

I attended the WM Phoenix Open in 2023. While at the event, I took a behind-the-scenes tour and watched in awe as I saw how much WM is able to recycle and reuse — and how quickly they’re able to do it — given 400,000 people attend the tournament on a peak day. Imagine how many waters, beers, and meals that includes. After the event I spoke to Jim Fish, President & CEO of WM.

I asked Jim what the strategy behind WM’s event sponsorship included. He told me, “WM’s goal is to be synonymous with sustainability. After all, WM is the largest recycler in North America. This event allows us to take action and lead in a way that’s consistent with both our expertise and values.” Jim went on to describe how becoming the title sponsor allows WM’s brand to act on its sustainability aspirations in collaboration with The Thunderbirds.

Pat Williams, tournament Chairman for the 2023 WM Phoenix Open, which is a role he earned based on his work with The Thunderbirds, explained, “We are trying to increase awareness of metro Phoenix through sport. We are also trying to blend entertainment and sustainability since both are important to our players, fans, and stakeholders.”

While the Thunderbirds don’t provide attendance, Pat indicated estimates of 900,000 to 1,000,000 fans attended over the course of the week. With sporting events drawing such large crowds, it’s important to take care of the local environment hosting such events.

Neera Shetty, Executive Vice President — Office of Social Responsibility and Inclusion/Deputy General Counsel for the PGA TOUR, agrees on the importance of sustainability within sports. She said that “what WM has been able to accomplish in the 14 years as title sponsor of the WM Phoenix Open is nothing short of remarkable. Being the largest certified Zero Waste sporting event in the world is no small task. They are not only pushing other PGA TOUR tournaments forward, but the entire sports and entertainment industry.”

In fact, in part because of WM’s success with the WM Phoenix Open, PGA TOUR has partnered with WM to consult on their sustainability efforts. This includes their tournaments, TPC properties, and headquarters. Neera said, “With WM’s support we hope to not only make strides in our business, but move the entire golf industry forward to a more sustainable future.”

Jim’s thought process — and I’m paraphrasing — was that the tournament gave WM the opportunity to work at the intersection of sustainability and a growing industry. The world of sports is constantly changing, which we’ve seen as technology has changed the game, but sustainability is in the midst of making its big impact. It will be increasingly important to the business model, as consumers are prioritizing sustainability.

As Jim noted, the WM brand has permission to move from “collecting” to “recycling,” and ultimately in my view, to leading other corporate brands in how they think about and act on their sustainability goals.

Sustainability isn’t something that replaces the need to generate a profit for shareholders. In fact, WM appears to have strong consistent stock performance. Sustainability isn’t free, but when it creates increased employee engagement and better relationships with external stakeholders, everybody wins.

“Team members in today’s workforce want recognition for their contributions and performance,” added Evan Honeyman, Vice President at TFL. “At the same time, they want to know that their corporate leaders are taking proactive steps to help make the world a better place for all of us. Sport is a great way to show your corporate values.”

As a sports fan, I’m excited to see how the sporting industry changes to become more sustainable. WM’s sponsorship of the Phoenix Open has proven sports can be zero waste. Hopefully, more games are able to replicate this accomplishment.