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Leadership Next

Leadership Next

Inside WM’s Plan to Automate the Future of Trash

Aug 5, 2025 · 57 min · 10 segments

WM CEO Jim Fish joins Leadership Next to unpack how the company formerly known as Waste Management is reinventing itself for a new era—one defined by sustainability, automation, and culture-first…

WM CEO Jim Fish joins Leadership Next to unpack how the company formerly known as Waste Management is reinventing itself for a new era—one defined by sustainability, automation, and culture-first leadership. Fish explains how WM is transforming from a landfill-dependent waste hauler into a high-tech environmental leader, investing in profitable recycling centers and piloting autonomous garbage trucks. He shares why recycling is not only good for the planet but a major business driver, and reveals WM’s plan to reduce 5,000 jobs through attrition—not layoffs—by automating hard-to-fill roles. Along the way, Fish reflects on the surprising role trash collection has played in improving public health, and why, in his eyes, managing waste responsibly is a civic duty we all share.

WM CEO Jim Fish joins Leadership Next to unpack how the company formerly known as Waste Management is reinventing itself for a new era—one defined by sustainability, automation, and culture-first…

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Speakers: Jim FishGuestKristen StolerHostDiane BradyHost

Top entities: WM×27 New York×17 Waste management×2 Herb Kelleher×7 Deloitte×9

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasLeans leftAudience≈294 followers

Show Open & Trash Talk0:32 – 2:02

Diane BradyHost

0:32

(instrumental music) Hi, everyone.

Diane BradyHost

0:33

Welcome to Leadership Next, the podcast about the people-

U

UnknownUnknown

0:36

And trends-

Diane BradyHost

0:37

... that are shaping the future of business.

Diane BradyHost

0:39

I'm Diane Brady.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:40

And I'm Kristen Stoler.

Diane BradyHost

0:42

And this week we are talking about waste.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:45

Yes, everyone's favorite subject on this very hot New York City day.

Diane BradyHost

0:49

Yes.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:49

The trash smell wafts up to us.

Diane BradyHost

0:51

Especially lower Manhattan, where there are hundreds of garbage bags on garbage day.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:57

Yeah.

Diane BradyHost

0:57

Um, waste management, which, by the way, much like Kentucky Fried Chicken, is now known by only its acronyms, WM.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:04

WM.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:05

They wanted to make a big sustainability rebrand.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:08

They're all about recycling, which, by the way, I have a ton of European, British, Irish neighbors in my building, and they make fun of me so much because of how I use paper towels.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:19

I don't use the plastic...

U

UnknownUnknown

1:20

I use the plastic soap containers.

Diane BradyHost

1:22

The British are big recyclers?

U

UnknownUnknown

1:24

Yeah, apparently.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:25

They get so mad-

Diane BradyHost

1:25

I did not know that.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:26

... and they say, "Americans are so wasteful.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:27

You don't recycle."

Diane BradyHost

1:28

We are.

WMCompanyWaste management company
99%27 mentions
New YorkCityCity in New York State
98%17 mentions
Waste managementEntity
97%2 mentions
Herb KelleherPersonAmerican businessman and former CEO of Southwest Airlines
96%7 mentions
DeloitteCompanyCompany
94%9 mentions
San FranciscoCityCity in California
93%2 mentions
Compressed natural gasEntityFuel
92%4 mentions
EuropeContinentContinent
90%7 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
89%10 mentions
ManhattanAdministrative AreaBoroughs of New York City
88%1 mention
HoustonCityCity in Texas
87%6 mentions
PhoenixCityCity in Arizona
85%4 mentions
IndiaCountryCountry in South Asia
84%7 mentions
Maury MeyersPersonAmerican Politician
83%5 mentions
KPMGCompanyCompany
81%3 mentions
CVS PharmacyCompanyRetailer corporation
80%2 mentions
AustinCityCity in Texas
79%8 mentions
Procter & GambleCompanyManufacturing company
78%2 mentions
Jamie DimonPersonCEO of Chase
76%1 mention
United Parcel ServiceCompanyChain
75%4 mentions
KFCRestaurantFast food restaurant chain
74%3 mentions
Yellow CorporationCompanyCompany
72%3 mentions
TexasAdministrative AreaUS state
71%4 mentions
Goldman SachsCompanyInvestment banking company
70%1 mention
Arizona State UniversityCollege or UniversityPublic university in Tempe, Arizona
69%4 mentions
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
67%3 mentions
East RiverRiverStrait in New York State
66%4 mentions
AsiaContinentContinent
65%2 mentions
Diane BradyPersonJournalist
63%7 mentions
Cold openEntity
62%1 mention
CuriosityEntity
61%1 mention
WyomingAdministrative AreaUS state
60%2 mentions
Southwest AirlinesAirlineAirline
58%2 mentions
Industrial RevolutionEventEvent
57%3 mentions
IrelandPlaceIsland in Europe
56%1 mention
BangladeshCountryCountry in South Asia
54%2 mentions
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
54%2 mentions
Caterpillar Inc.CompanyCompany
52%4 mentions
ColoradoAdministrative AreaUS state
51%2 mentions
Central FloridaPlaceRegion in Florida
49%3 mentions
PittsburghCityCity in Pennsylvania
48%3 mentions
MiamiCityCity in Florida
47%2 mentions
The Business CouncilCompanyCompany
46%2 mentions
Stanford UniversityCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Stanford, California
44%1 mention
EarthPlacePlanet
43%1 mention
The University of ChicagoCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Chicago, Illinois
42%2 mentions
ChicagoCityCity in Illinois
40%1 mention
BostonCityCity in Massachusetts
39%3 mentions
The University of Texas at AustinCollege or UniversityPublic university in Austin, Texas
38%3 mentions
DenverCityCity in Colorado
37%2 mentions

Waste ManagementEconomics
Society
Waste ManagementSociety
Operational StrategiesBusiness > Sustainability > Waste Management > Recycling
Zero Waste InitiativesEnvironment > Sustainability > Waste Management > Recycling
Waste ManagementTechnology > Automation
Operational EfficiencyTechnology > Automation > Waste Management
Safety MeasuresTechnology > Automation > Waste Management > Operational Efficiency
Public PerceptionSociety > Waste Management
Environmental ResponsibilitySociety > Waste Management > Public Perception
Cultural AttitudesSociety > Waste Management > Public Perception > Environmental Responsibility
Financial StrategiesEconomics > Waste Management
ProfitabilityEconomics > Waste Management > Financial Strategies
Market TrendsEconomics > Waste Management > Financial Strategies > Profitability
AutomationTechnology
SustainabilityEnvironment
SustainabilityBusiness
Waste ManagementEnvironment > Sustainability
RecyclingEnvironment > Sustainability > Waste Management
Environment
Economics
Technology
RecyclingBusiness > Sustainability > Waste Management
Business
Waste ManagementBusiness > Sustainability

Show Open & Trash Talk0:32 – 2:02

Diane BradyHost

0:32

(instrumental music) Hi, everyone.

Diane BradyHost

0:33

Welcome to Leadership Next, the podcast about the people-

U

UnknownUnknown

0:36

And trends-

Diane BradyHost

0:37

... that are shaping the future of business.

Diane BradyHost

0:39

I'm Diane Brady.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:40

And I'm Kristen Stoler.

Diane BradyHost

0:42

And this week we are talking about waste.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:45

Yes, everyone's favorite subject on this very hot New York City day.

Diane BradyHost

0:49

Yes.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:49

The trash smell wafts up to us.

Diane BradyHost

0:51

Especially lower Manhattan, where there are hundreds of garbage bags on garbage day.

U

UnknownUnknown

0:57

Yeah.

Diane BradyHost

0:57

Um, waste management, which, by the way, much like Kentucky Fried Chicken, is now known by only its acronyms, WM.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:04

WM.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:05

They wanted to make a big sustainability rebrand.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:08

They're all about recycling, which, by the way, I have a ton of European, British, Irish neighbors in my building, and they make fun of me so much because of how I use paper towels.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:19

I don't use the plastic...

U

UnknownUnknown

1:20

I use the plastic soap containers.

Diane BradyHost

1:22

The British are big recyclers?

U

UnknownUnknown

1:24

Yeah, apparently.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:25

They get so mad-

Diane BradyHost

1:25

I did not know that.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:26

... and they say, "Americans are so wasteful.

U

UnknownUnknown

1:27

You don't recycle."

Diane BradyHost

1:28

We are.

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