ISRI rebrands with focus on public outreach

The new name and logo were unveiled during the closing general session of ISRI2024 Convention and Exhibition.

The intent is to prioritize education of those outside of the industry.

“From everyday items to our essential infrastructure, recycled materials power the manufacturing supply chain that makes our economy stronger, our planet more sustainable, and our lives better,” said Robin Wiener, president of the association.

The organization had been internally focused, noted Michael Maslansky, CEO of Maslansky + Partners, which worked on the rebranding.

“ISRI does a lot of amazing things for the industry membership, but one of the most important things that any trade association can do is to be an effective advocate for the industry – not for members but for outside audiences,” Maslansky said at the event April 18.

ReMA’s Incoming Chair Colin Kelly said, “This new name represents our dedication to rethinking how we approach recycling, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and striving for a world where recycling is at the heart of sustainable development.”

The shift from the word “scrap” to “recycled materials is intentional, the group said.

“The word ‘scrap’; is an input. The word ‘recycling’ is a process,” Maslansky said. “There was nothing about it that talked about the value that we were delivering to the outside world.

“The beauty of a circular economy is that it’s a circle,” he added. “We just wanted to start the story in a different place. We wanted to start with how we impact people’s lives and work backwards instead of starting at a place that people don’t understand and trying to work forward.”

ReMA has more than 1,700 members. It was formed in 1987 when the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel merged with the National Association of Recycling Industries.