Recology
Recology, a billion-dollar waste management company, faced fierce competition and industry changes. Partnering with The Berkeley Innovation Group, they became a tech-driven logistics powerhouse. Using a three-phase strategy—Analyze, Align, Ascend—they embraced digital transformation and change management, yielding immediate positive results. Now, Recology leads as a tech-led, commodity-agnostic logistics company, setting new industry standards for innovation and growth.
The Challenge
Recology, a billion-dollar waste management company, faced increased competition and a rapidly changing industry landscape. They needed a strategic plan to pivot from solely a waste management company to a tech-led, commodity-agnostic logistics company.
Our Approach
At The Berkeley Innovation Group, we initiated our three-phase strategy—Analyze, Align, Ascend. During the Analyze phase, our ethnographers and data scientists comprehensively reviewed Recology’s current state and market position. In the Align phase, we co-created a strategic plan with the company’s leadership, setting a visionary, achievable North Star. Finally, during the Ascend phase, we worked with company staff, providing project-specific human resources to plan, enact, and document the changes for staff to scale across the organization.
The Solution
We identified digital transformation as the linchpin of Recology's future success. Managers’ decision-making transitioned from experience and opinion to using objective data. However, technology-driven metrics fail without employee buy-in. We integrated change management strategies into the plan, focusing on stakeholder engagement and training to minimize resistance during the Ascend phase.
The Results
Our approach led to an immediate, positive EBITDA impact for Recology. The company transformed its core operations and realigned its organizational culture to be more agile and forward-looking. The tailored KPIs we implemented allowed Recology to measure success and make data-driven adjustments, ensuring a dynamic and responsive strategy.
Recology transitioned into a tech-led, commodity-agnostic logistics company through our co-creative and data-driven approach, setting a new industry standard and paving the way for sustainable growth.