The new sustainability director at a Wallingford waste management firm said she feels a "unique privilege and duty" to lead the company towards its sustainability goals.

Toni Robinson has become the first risk and sustainability director at Grundon Waste Management.

She said: “I am both honoured and delighted to join the board and very much look forward to working with my fellow directors.

"As the first director to hold a position specifically focused on sustainability, I feel a unique privilege and duty to lead our collective journey towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

"At Grundon, we do not see sustainability as a challenge to be overcome, but as an opportunity to lead, inspire and make a lasting difference to our planet - I am proud to be part of the top team delivering against that goal."

Ms Robinson, who has become Grundon's first female director, joined the company in 1996.

Starting her career as landfill manager, her role grew until she took on the position of compliance manager in 2008.

A decade later, she was promoted to head of compliance and joined the senior leadership team.

She has joined the board after the firm's former compliance director, Stephen Roscoe, retired following a 35-year tenure with the company.

Mr Roscoe joined Grundon in 1989 as a landfill technician, becoming general manager in 1996 and joining the board of directors in 2002.

Grundon manages waste across the Thames Valley, with locations in Ewelme, Banbury, Knowl Hill, Beenham and Colnbrook.

Its wider operating area includes Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester and the south coast.

Chairman, Neil Grundon, said: "We are all absolutely thrilled that Toni has agreed to join the board in this new role, which puts sustainability firmly at the forefront of our business.

"Toni’s invaluable knowledge and expertise, especially her understanding across the health, safety and environmental sectors, means her appointment was an obvious and natural choice for us to make.

“At the same time, I must pay tribute to Stephen. Together with Toni, he has been key in driving and directing the evolution of the excellent health and safety culture we currently experience in the business."

Ms Robinson holds a BSc (Hons) Rural Environmental Science, a Diploma in Management Studies, NVQ Diploma and NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and three separate Certificates of Technical Competence at NVQ Level 4.

She is also a long-serving committee member of the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum, focusing on improving standards within the SME sectors, and also a member of the ESA Health and Safety Strategy Group.