#MeetTheTeam – Anna Garstka

Meet the Team Zero Waste Europe - general

It’s time to discover and learn more about the people behind Zero Waste Europe’s work and magic! In addition to the ZWE Changemakers series, where you can learn more about our member organisations, we invite you to get a closer look at our staff, what they do, and what inspires them to work for a zero waste future.

This time, we sat down with Anna Garstka, our Human Resources Officer who has been at Zero Waste Europe since November 2023.

How did you come to join Zero Waste Europe?

I was working in the private sector at the time and looking to switch to a more purpose-driven organisation. I have previously worked in an environmental NGO, and knew it was the right setting for me. In the realm of environmental causes, waste management and the zero waste movement have always been particular interests of mine—so, when the opportunity to join ZWE presented itself, I knew I had to give it a shot.

Additionally, during the interview process, I got to witness how value-driven the organisation was (particularly on care and integrity), which enticed me even more and convinced me that this would be a workplace where I could develop and grow.

What motivated you to work for a zero waste Europe?

I have been passionate about the zero waste movement since my university days, when I got involved in the climate movement together with my housemates. When we opened a zero waste store on campus, it really expanded my understanding of the impact that poor waste management has on the environment, and conversely, how simple yet impactful zero waste solutions can be.

Waste is a *relatively* new problem in the history of the world; resources were once considered more precious, people used things for longer and repurposed them to maximise their life and use. Coming from an Eastern European country (capitalism got to us a little later), I grew up with stories of scarcity and creative resource preservation methods. Hence, one of the topics I am especially interested in is repair (particularly of textiles) and reuse.

What would you say is the most interesting part of your job?

I think what I like most about my role is its versatility—I get to do a little bit of everything, from compliance and administration to more creative processes, such as learning and development (L&D), HR tools, and process design. What is most interesting to me is how to effectively combine these domains in a way that promotes employee wellbeing and satisfaction.

What has been the biggest challenge that you’ve faced in your work?

Making people sign their timesheets on time.

What is an aspect of your work that you find fun?

Building organisational culture through teambuilding activities and initiatives. In an environment that can be challenging at times, I like to make space for creative ways to unwind and bond as colleagues.

In your view, how do you best support the wellbeing and development needs in an NGO like ours?

I think, firstly, by not ignoring their existence. It is easy to get lost in ‘giving it all for the cause’ in NGO settings, but we must not forget we are all human, and caring for the world means also caring for ourselves. If our needs go ignored, there will be nobody left to fight for our cause.

Budgets can be tight in NGOs, and things like wellbeing and development are often seen as ‘nice to haves’. They are essential, however, and there are plenty of things that can already be done without a dedicated budget:

Wellbeing:

Making sure prevention work is not overlooked (in compliance with legislation).
Appointing a person of trust, i.e. a team member whom you can reach out to for confidential psychosocial advice. In Belgium, this is mandatory for organisations with more than a certain number of employees, but having a designated person like this can be beneficial even in countries where it is not mandated by law.
Regularly communicating on issues and sharing resources and trainings, e.g. in the form of an easily accessible database, like our intranet Wiki 😉
Engaging the team by making space for feedback and ideas, and encouraging them to suggest and partake in wellbeing initiatives.
Ensuring proper line manager training on how best to guide and support their team members.
Finally, and most importantly, cultivating a culture of compassion and trust in the organisation— ensuring team members feel comfortable and safe reaching out in case of issues.

Learning and development:

Developing an internal L&D Policy, offering the organisation a clear framework and guidelines for supporting the growth and development of team members
Incorporating L&D into performance conversations, making sure that identifying learning needs and drawing up a growth path are core elements in this process.
Internal capacity-building: through our internal skillshare process, we offer a space for team members to learn from one another by leading sessions on any skills or content-related knowledge they wish to share.
Looking for free training opportunities—there are plenty of those online, from well-known training platforms like Udemy or Coursera, to UN agency courses or even IT platforms like Google or Microsoft. Additionally, many providers offer reduced rates for NGOs. We have compiled these in an internal database and encourage team members to consult these offers first when considering a training.

Looking ahead, which developments or priorities will you be focusing on in your work?

We are launching the data collection for our newly designed KPIs to track the progress of ZWE’s overarching goals for the next five years. As complicated as this sounds, I am a secret research nerd and look forward to assessing the evolution of indicators like employee engagement or skills and knowledge development.

Are there any other resources or topics that you want to highlight?

I want to highlight the Acumen Academy course catalogue: they have a large variety of free, on-demand courses useful for anyone running a non-profit and seeking to drive social change. I myself took the course on having difficult conversations by Sheila Heen and highly recommend it.