BP&R Editor Giulia Daniele speaks with Suzanne Johnston, Operations Director at PS Partnerships & Consultancy, about the company’s fifth anniversary, from the challenges and opportunities that arose over the years and the plans for growth.
PS Partnerships
[GD] How do you feel about celebrating PS Partnerships’ fifth anniversary?
[SJ] I’m thrilled to be celebrating our fifth anniversary. Reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work, dedication and collaboration of our team, partners and clients. We set up the business in February 2020 and I didn’t think we would have gotten here because the world changed quite dramatically a couple of weeks later. I left the job I had for 15 years and the security that comes with it, so it was scary. In the 18 months before leaving, I began an MBA which gave me the confidence to start a business. But when the world turned upside down, it became a massive risk.
Being here now makes me feel like it was the right thing to do. It’s a huge milestone, especially knowing that not many businesses have made it this far. After successfully coming out of the pandemic, I know that we can get through anything.
[GD] What were some of the challenges at the time, and how did you overcome them?
[SJ] The pandemic was the biggest challenge, but it wasn’t the only one. I had to homeschool my two children while completing my studies, so it was hard to juggle all and set up a business.
Another challenge was introducing who we are and what we do to the industry. Many knew me from my previous job, but they never saw me in another context. Much of what we work on is regulatory compliance, which people may consider tedious, so it was tricky to market and promote our capabilities.
[GD] What do you think has been the company’s key to success?
[SJ] A lot of the work we do is on-site, like training and building internal capabilities, and we always bring people along.
We called ourselves ‘partnership’ on purpose because we want to get integrated with our clients. They see us as a part of their organisation because they know we have their best interests at heart.
It’s important for us to always deliver high-quality services, and we have gained a good reputation for this. Some companies started working with us in 2020 and still are today, and we value these long-term relationships. It’s all about ensuring we maintain the good work and deliver value for our clients, old and new.
Last year, we achieved ISO 9001, and as part of this, we asked for customers’ feedback. We wanted to establish a quality management system because client satisfaction is our priority.
[GD] What are some of the milestones you’re most proud of?
[SJ] Interplas 2021 was a huge milestone. I had attended and exhibited before with my previous employer but having a stand for my company felt different. The event helped establish our market presence, kicking off meaningful growth. I was also asked to be the judge for the Plastics Industry Awards – a major personal achievement to have my skills and knowledge recognised in the industry.
Being certified to ISO 9001 was another stepping stone, as well as helping the BSI and BPF write a publicly available specification (PAS 510:2021) on preventing plastic pellet loss. Being a technical author for that was another nice recognition.
[GD] What are PS Partnerships’ growth plans?
[SJ] We want to go global. We’ve already carried out projects in the US and Australia, so we want to start growing the business internationally.
We do a lot of regulatory work, and the depth and breadth of our knowledge extends to other territories. It’s a challenging industry for many but delivering value in key areas for our customers has been a privilege. We’ve proven time and time again that we can support successful outcomes for our clients, and we look forward to doing more of that in the future – both here and abroad.