Waste Recyclers Fiji champions gender equity and social inclusion

Through the commitment to social inclusion and gender equity, Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited is creating a workplace where women, including those from marginalised and stigmatised backgrounds, are not only seen and heard but are also leading from the front.

The Waste Recyclers say women currently make up 36 percent of their workforce.

They say some have transitioned from collecting recyclables at dumpsites, often working in harsh and unsafe conditions with little protection or recognition, to full-time roles as forklift operators, scrap sorters, yard workers, administrative staff, and technical personnel.

They also highlighted that others have come from professional backgrounds and now hold leadership roles in Human Resources, Finance, Audit, Project Management, Grants, and Communications.

The Waste Recyclers add that women at WRFL are present at every level, from entry points such as scrap sorting in the yard to operational roles, all the way up to executive-level positions.

WRFL CEO and Founder of Pacific Recycling Foundation, Amitesh Deo, says women deserve to be respected and recognised.

Deo is calling on other organisations to rethink who is included in their definitions of progress and sustainability.

He says the transformation underway at WRFL is not just about recycling; it is about restoring dignity, challenging injustice, rewriting narratives, and ensuring no one is left behind.

Deo adds it stands on the shoulders of decades of advocacy and groundwork laid by organisations such as the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, whose relentless work in advocating women’s rights, safety, and protection has helped create the environment where women can take up space, lead, and thrive - even in sectors previously closed to them.