The Cornwall Sustainability Awards 2009 is now appealing for entries from businesses across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and for the first time has created a new category for sustainable communities who have tackled their own local environmental issues.
The desire to recognise the greenest community groups in Cornwall as well as commercial organisations shows the need to work towards sustainable development and specifically target climate change and resource depletion at a local level.
Companies across the Duchy will be able to compete in six categories including Best Managed Company, Low Carbon Business and Green Innovation as long as entries are received by the closing date of 26th September.
Veryan Jones, one of the Award Organisers and Sustainable Development Officers for Cornwall Council said: “Now in its 7th year the Cornwall Sustainability Awards are more relevant than ever as the county has an increasing reputation for sustainable practices throughout the UK, whether that’s low-carbon housing or renewable energy sources.
“The Awards not only recognise the great achievements of homegrown businesses and communities but send out a strong message about Cornish ingenuity and innovation.”
The six categories are,
• Best Managed Company (Small, Medium and Large)
Sponsored by The Environment Agency, Cornwall College Business and Jaspers
• Low Carbon Business
Sponsored by Environmental Skills Network
• Waste Minimisation
Sponsored by BREW
• Green Innovation
Sponsored by Community Energy Plus
• Best Individual
Sponsored by The Energy & Environment Group (Wardell Armstrong International)
• Sustainable Communities
Sponsored by Cornwall Council
• *Overall Winner Award
Sponsored by Business Link (*chosen from the other category winners)
Since 2002 the Cornwall Sustainability Awards has given trophies to and acknowledged hundreds of Cornish businesses both large and small and as diverse as breweries, architects and clothing manufactures.
Last year’s Overall winner was Jaspers, a family owned business with two slaughter houses just outside Launceston whose aim is to become environmental leaders for the abattoir sector of the food industry and was the first abattoir in the UK to be awarded a Certificate of Environmental Benefit from Defra for its approach to water recycling.
Rachael Gill, Jaspers Environmental Manager said: “Winning our category and Overall winner at last year’s awards was an amazing achievement and really helped to highlight the environmental progress we are making in an already well regulated sector.
“Since 2008 we have continued the sustainable work at Jaspers and have now achieved the international ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Standards and in July were awarded silver in the Environment Agency Water Save Awards.”
Businesses who would like to enter this year’s awards should visit the awards website where all criteria and entry forms can be downloaded. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony taking place on Friday 4th December at the Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground.
The Cornwall Sustainability Awards is sponsored by Cornwall Council, the Environment Agency, Business Link, BREW (Business Resource, Efficiency and Waste), Community Energy Plus, Cornwall College Business, Environmental Skills Network, Jaspers and the Energy and Environment Group (Wardell Armstrong International).
The Cornwall Sustainability Awards is also supported by Global Action Plan, COAST, Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust (CSBT), Groundwork, ReZolve, Atlantic FM and Finisterre.
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