Meet the team: ERP UK Membership Compliance Manager

Interview with ERP UK Membership Compliance Manager.

This quarter we introduce our Membership Compliance Manager, Jessica.

How long have you been with ERP UK?

Jessica: I joined straight after university in 2008 as part of DHL’s 2 year graduate scheme.  My last placement in the graduate scheme was in the Compliance Team and I have been part of that team ever since then. 

I moved across to ERP UK in January 2017 after their acquisition of DHL’s Compliance and Data Services activities.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Jessica: Every day is different!  It very much depends on what regulatory deadlines are coming up and what support our customers need. 

During peak periods, I am busy ensuring our customers are registered with the Environment Agency and that they are reporting their data as accurately as possible. 

On a day-to-day, I provide support to our customers. This may include auditing through site visits or desk reviews, account meetings and calls, regulatory training and responding to incoming phone calls and emails.

Are there any accomplishments that your team has achieved this year that you are particularly proud of?

Jessica: The team achieve a lot throughout the year, especially when it comes to preparing Environment Agency submissions for annual registrations and data reporting which takes place in such a short space of time.

To give an example, after the end of each quarter we must collect and process data submissions from nearly 190 B2C WEEE Producers and just over 100 Battery Producers within the space of one month!

The team work hard throughout the whole month to make sure we meet our deadline, and ultimately make sure our members are compliant.

In your opinion how does ERP UK stand out in comparison to other Producer Compliance Schemes? Jessica: I am proud of how ERP UK puts the customer first. Each customer has a dedicated Account Manager and there are many experts within the business who can offer additional support where required.

In the recent months, the amendments to the EU regulations on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have had a significant on WEEE members. Are there any impending regulatory changes that your team is monitoring due to its potential impact on the sector?

Jessica: In the next few years, there are likely to be some significant changes to the Packaging Regulations. The reforms will mean Producers' compliance costs will increase, modulated fees could be introduced, and the point of compliance might change from the current shared system.

At the 2019 WEEE Conference, Graeme Vickery, Defra Senior Policy Advisor, confirmed a review of the UK WEEE Regulations was imminent. This will look at the effectiveness of the Regulations and then this will lead to discussions on how the existing Regulations can be amended.