Rubicon’s Kinnear on Strategic Messaging to Inspire Change

Katie Kinnear, Rubicon’s director of Engagement Strategy, knows how to craft a resonating message. It’s what she does day in and day out as she takes on charges from developing and managing the company’s communications across events, to helping a diverse range of stakeholders share their unique sustainability success stories, to fostering important dialogues about waste diversion and circularity. Kinnear’s ultimate aim is to inspire broader change across the waste and recycling industry.

In this Q&A, the Waste360 40 Under 40 Award recipient discusses the power of storytelling; hard data’s role in achieving transparency; opportunities in food waste diversion; and the “future of fleet.”

Waste360: How is it that you came into the waste and recycling industry? 

Kinnear: I came into the waste and recycling industry a bit on accident! I had just moved from London to New York City and was ready to make a sustainability-focused pivot in my career. I started researching opportunities in the “smart cities” space, zeroing in on mobility and renewable energy. But after hearing my future colleagues speak on stage about the future of humble garbage trucks in revolutionizing city services, I had to learn more. I applied that week for a job in the Rubicon communications team and was grateful to join at an inflection point in the company’s growth and technology investment.

Today, I am so fortunate to work alongside many passionate industry experts. Where others see impossible challenges, they see solutions. And our community of customers and partners share this commitment to finding more sustainable solutions for waste. Engaging with this diverse group is the best part of my job.

Waste360: What issues in the world of waste and recycling most excite you and why? 

Kinnear: Waste touches so many facets of our lives—and the potential to do better is so vast—that I feel I am constantly learning. But since my early days at Rubicon, I have always been very drawn to two topics in particular: food waste diversion and fleet optimization.

In some ways the challenge of food waste is “low hanging fruit” in the fight for a more sustainable world. Food is a valuable resource and diverting would-be food waste from landfills has an immediate, positive impact on reducing methane emissions as well as food insecurity. I am inspired by the range of circular solutions for food waste, from backyard composting to large-scale anaerobic digestion. As a material, food waste poses specific challenges for those collecting and processing it. Even so, I see opportunity in that there are both personal and scalable solutions for keeping food out of landfills.

My work with Rubicon’s Circular Economy Solutions team has empowered me to share a range of success stories and educate businesses and consumers about the economic and sustainability benefits of food waste diversion.

As for fleet optimization, collaborating with the RUBICONSmartCity team has given me a profound appreciation for the incredible workload managed by municipal and private fleets each and every day. The work is demanding for both fleet managers and drivers. Their dedication to servicing customers got the national attention it deserved during the COVID-19 pandemic because, as every city leader knows, rain or shine, the trash must always be picked up.

It is rewarding to work with a team that is committed to finding solutions to make this tough job easier. RUBICONSmartCity technology is empowering fleets to save time and money by uncovering operational efficiencies and function more sustainably by reducing milage and tracking contamination. The future of fleet is happening now – bringing together committed teams of people and the technology solutions to help them get the job done, and get it done better. 

Waste360: Can you touch on the power of storytelling? 

Kinnear: Communication in this industry can be challenging because waste is something most people would rather not think about, let alone read or talk about. Businesses and cities are often nervous to share details on their waste and recycling efforts, especially if they have not yet reached their stated goals. And consumers can get lost in the technical jargon. But to inspire change, effective, clear storytelling must still prevail.

I love working with partners to tell their stories in a way that is honest about the challenges they face and the strategies that have proven successful. Admittedly, some storytelling formats are better than others, depending on your goal. Whereas a public whitepaper might be appropriate for a results-driven story, an intimate speaking event among peers might be better for delving into the practicalities of [program or strategy] implementation.

Today, in our increasingly sustainability-minded world, there is a great opportunity to shed light on ongoing challenges (at-capacity landfills, infrastructure gaps, contamination, etc.) but also to tell more nuanced stories about the circular solutions that are revolutionizing not only the waste industry but the entire concept of “waste.” The standard recycling education of my youth is no longer sufficient.

Waste360: Which skills and strategies do you leverage to help inspire broader change across the waste and recycling industry? 

Kinnear: Friends and family often ask me about the “doom and gloom” headlines they see about waste and recycling. So, I feel that those of us working in the industry have a responsibility to highlight the wins and innovations that are turning the ship. Positivity is important but should always be paired with radical transparency to combat common misconceptions or reasonable doubts about the industry. Hard data is essential for transparency. Weaving in quantitative analysis demonstrates the seriousness with which organizations are working to track, improve, and evolve waste and recycling processes.

As in any industry, successful storytelling demands that you take the time to get to know your audience: What gets them excited? What makes them nervous? What level of knowledge do they have about the topic you want to explore? Stories are not one size fits all.

In my communications role, I do believe there are a few essential ingredients for inspiring change: real-world examples (ideally including quotes, data, and relatable details); educational context (why does this topic matter); and actionable guidance or a call to action.

Lastly, clarity is king. A complex message is hard to relay to others, let alone inspire at scale. When working with our spokespersons on presentations, I always remind them to focus on “the three things you want the audience to remember” and keep coming back to that framework.

Waste360: What might a given day at work look like for you?

Kinnear: My work bridges online communications and in-person engagement – both vitally important and often varied. On the digital side, my day might include writing a customer case study, drafting social posts for an Earth Month campaign, A/B testing product messaging for a digital campaign, or developing a webinar on our latest product launch.

On the in-person side, my day might include drafting a speaking proposal for a conference, attending a tradeshow with our sales team, developing the speaker program for our own Rubicon Next Summit, or collaborating with customer or industry partners on a joint event or campaign. And in between all that, a lot of reading to stay on top of industry news and developments!

Waste360: What would you tell other young professionals or college students considering a career in waste management?

Kinnear: Get your hands dirty early and often. Go on facility tours, do a ride-along in a truck, attend conferences and walk the floor, or attend sessions. It is hard to grasp the challenges and opportunities of this industry solely from behind a desk. (But don’t be afraid of the desk work either.)

Network – it is a surprisingly small community. There are many niche specialisms and yet there are endless ways to collaborate. Keep a good rolodex!

Get involved and volunteer at a local level. Waste is something we all have in common, and understanding how your own community manages it is an excellent starting place.