News

Highly commended - Best New Product

Access Accounting sticks to its motto that you can't manage what you can't measure. In February, the business and accounting software house launched a module enabling businesses to measure their carbon footprint through the standard accounting process. Accounting for Carbon Emissions (ACE) has been made available at no extra cost to all 10,000+ customers of its main accounting package. It claims to be the first mainstream accounting software vendor to develop integrated carbon tracking. The module calculates carbon emissions based on guidelines set by the Government and the Carbon Trust for transactions such as travel, utility bills and expense claims. No changes to ordinary accounting workflow are required. Users get carbon reporting automatically alongside financial reports, enabling managers to identify and reduce emissions.

www.access-accounts.com

ALPRO (UK)

Shortlisted - Best Consumer Goods or Retail Company

Northamptonshire-based soya product manufacturer Alpro introduced a series of green initiatives in 2007, including installation of renewable energy, lower waste production and better management of water and heat. The company has set itself the goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2020, by which year it wants to self-generate up to 75% of its energy needs.

www.alprosoya.co.uk

ATKINS

Shortlisted - Best Construction or Property Business

Atkins is the UK's largest engineering and design consultancy and is taking strides to put sustainability thinking at the core of its business. The company's 'Enabling Sustainability, Raising Awareness' programme takes this message to all staff. Atkins is developing ways to make carbon central to the way that all its capital programmes are planned, designed and procured.

www.atkinsglobal.com

BLUEPRINT

Shortlisted - Best Construction or Property Business

Blueprint is a sustainable urban-regeneration company that seeks to create property markets with a focus on green design standards. One of its first projects was an extension to Nottingham Science Park packed with green design features. The building's carbon emissions are estimated to be 60% below the 1997 buildings regulation standard.

www.blueprintregeneration.com

BUXTON PRESS

Highly commended - Best Industrial or Manufacturing Company

Shortlisted - Best SME

Environmental responsibility forms an intrinsic part of Buxton Press's business. The specialist short-run magazine printer recently completed a radical £12m, five-year regeneration programme at its Derbyshire base, creating an 80,000 sq ft eco-friendly manufacturing facility with new printing procedures incorporating the latest green technologies and better management of materials and heat. Total investment in environmental improvements alone was over £2.3m. The company examined all by-products of its manufacturing process to minimise waste and maximise recycling. It also took steps to reduce overall energy consumption of factory operations and is now preparing to measure its carbon footprint. Buxton Press has chain-of-custody accreditation to the FSC and PEFC sustainable forestry schemes and is working towards attaining the ISO 14001 environmental management standard. The judges were excited by the broad scope of the company's green efforts.

www.buxtonpress.com

CALON WEN ORGANIC MILK

Highly commended - Best New Product

Calon Wen aims to secure a long-term market for organic milk and has become a leading milk brand in Wales. The company's biggest innovation has been the launch of its Eco Pak polythene collapsible bag packaging. This was trialled successfully in Waitrose supermarkets and is now available in 60 stores nationwide. The Eco Pak contains 75% less plastic than a regular bottle of equivalent volume. Calon Wen estimates that if all British milk were delivered in Eco Paks, nearly 100,000 tonnes of plastic a year would be saved. The Eco Pak is recyclable. After use, it can be compressed, with benefits for both households and recyclers. Collapsible packaging for milk is used in some other countries but Calon Wen is blazing a trail in Britain.

www.calonwen-cymru.com

CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR

Highly commended - Best Business Services Company

Clear Channel Outdoor is the UK's largest outdoor advertising company and aims to consider the environment in all aspects of its activities. The judges wanted to recognise the scale of the company's efforts. Three-quarters of its car fleet have been switched to LPG, hybrid or electric power. From 2008, a cap of 150 g/km CO2 emissions has been imposed on its company cars. Broadband-linked digital billboards remove the need for crew visits to change advertisements and save resources. Waste glass is being recycled for use as aggregate. Billboard structures are designed to be recyclable. The company is developing solar- and wind-powered bus shelters. It is planning to recruit environmental champions in every department and is considering a carbon credit employee reward scheme.

www.clearchanneloutdoor.com

DCARBON8

Highly commended - Best Business Services Company

The carbon and sustainability consultancy dcarbon8 was formed in 2006 and employs only 10 staff. Its expertise in tackling embodied carbon in buildings led the judges to choose dcarbon8 as winner of the Best Micro-Organisation category (see p7). The judges felt it also deserved recognition as a leading green company in the business services sector.

www.dcarbon8.com

DELL

Shortlisted - Best Consumer Goods or Retail Company

Computer-maker Dell is striving to become the greenest technology company in the world. Recently, it became the first IT company to neutralise the carbon impact of its worldwide operations. It has launched a desktop PC - Studio Hybrid - that uses 70% less energy. Dell's takeback programme recovered 20% more equipment in 2007.

www.dell.com

DG3 EUROPE

Shortlisted - Best SME

The winner of the Best Business Services Company (see p17), DG3 Europe was also shortlisted in the Best SME category. The company has made considerable efforts to motivate its staff to embrace environmentally responsible behaviour. In November 2007, it launched the 'I am Green' campaign to raise employee and client awareness of its environmental initiatives.

www.dg3.com

DULUX TRADE

Shortlisted - Best Industrial or Manufacturing Company

Dulux Trade worked with NGO Forum for the Future to develop its Ecosure range of more eco-friendly paints. Green benefits include a reduction of up to 84% in content of volatile organic compounds and a reduction of up to 30% in embodied carbon. Ecosure cans are made of at least 25% recycled material.

www.dulux.co.uk

EC&O VENUES

Shortlisted - Best Overall Environmental Performance

Earls Court and Olympia (EC&O) in west London is one of the UK's leading venues for live events. The company recently launched a sustainable development policy and appointed a full-time sustainability adviser to implement it. In 2007, its venues saved 2.3 million kWH of electricity and 1.4 million kWH of gas. Over 40% of waste was recycled.

www.eco.co.uk

EUROSTAR

Highly commended - Best Transport or Travel Company

The cross-Channel train operator impressed the judges so much with its campaign to reduce carbon emissions while promoting greener rail travel that they deemed it this year's Best Large Company (see p6). The firm's efforts were also felt to deserve recognition in the Best Transport or Travel Company category.

www.eurostar.com

HARPERCOLLINS UK

Shortlisted - Best Business Services Company

Book publisher HarperCollins UK launched a 'think green, be green' initiative in 2007, with a campaign vision of continuous improvement. The company achieved operational carbon neutrality in December 2007. It aims to use only accredited sustainable paper by June 2009. The company is also trying to help its readers reduce their environmental impact.

www.harpercollins.co.uk

INTERFACEFLOR

Highly commended - Best Large Company

Modular flooring company InterfaceFlor is known for its pioneering environmental spirit. Indeed, the judges picked it as winner in this year's Best Overall Environmental Performance category (see p21). Via its Mission Zero programme, InterfaceFlor has set itself the goal of becoming the world's first genuinely sustainable business by 2020. Results already achieved by 2007 include a 75% reduction in manufacturing waste going to landfill, an 82% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions, and a 45% reduction in total energy consumption.

www.interfaceflor.co.uk

JAMES MCNAUGHTON GRP

Shortlisted - Best Transport or Travel Business

James McNaughton Group's specialist logistics company GM2 Logistics has instituted a Sustainable Solutions programme. GM2 was one of the first companies in the UK to purchase and operate electric delivery vehicles made by Modec (see below). It has also worked with the Carbon Trust to review and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.

http://www.jmcpaper.com

JC ATKINSON & SONS

Shortlisted - Best Overall Environmental Performance

JC Atkinson & Sons manufactures 60,000 coffins and caskets annually. In 2007, the company set out to improve its environmental practices. Through analysis, it identified ways to reduce its consumption of electricity by 21%, invested in a biomass combined-heat-and-power plant and halved its emissions of volatile organic compounds. The company is now carbon-neutral.

www.jcatkinson.co.uk

KIMBERLY-CLARK

Shortlisted - Best Overall Environmental Performance

Global health and hygiene company Kimberly-Clark is currently in year three of a five-year phase of its environmental Vision programme. In 2007, the firm spent more than $20m on green projects. At Kimberly-Clark's European sites, energy use fell by 5% and the amount of waste sent to landfill decreased by 7%. Virtually all fibre supplies were certified sustainable.

www.kimberly-clark.com

LYDEL

Shortlisted - Best New Product

The old adage 'if you want something done right, do it yourself' stands at the heart of Lydel's approach. Founded in 2007 by Gloucestershire farmer Jonathan Buonaparte, Lydel manufactures and markets a system for fully draining pesticide containers before they are baled for recycling. It may be simple technology, but it is addressing a real pollution problem.

www.lydel.co.uk

MODEC

Shortlisted - Best Transport or Travel Business

Shortlisted - Best New Product

Shortlisted - Best SME

Modec manufactures zero-emission electric vans. Since production began in 2007, it has sold 110 of the battery-powered vehicles. Each is designed around a battery 'cassette', enabling easy removal and replacement with more efficient types as battery technology improves. The vans can run for 100 miles at up to 50 miles per hour, carrying up to two tonnes on a single overnight charge. The judges felt Modec provided an excellent example of step-change technology, and deserved to be recognised in three separate categories of the awards.

www.modeczev.com

MORGAN LOVELL

Highly commended - Best Construction or Property Business

The office interior design, refurbishment and relocation specialist Morgan Lovell recently launched a sustainable-office design service. The firm's London headquarters in the heart of Soho served as a testing ground for its capabilities in retro-fitting old buildings. The project introduced 11% energy savings via new heating, ventilation and intelligent lighting. Carbon dioxide emissions are forecast to be 40% lower than in a comparable unimproved building. The office achieved a Breeam rating of 76% - making it the highest-scoring development of its type in the UK. The judges felt the project was valuable in showing how Britain's vast problem of inefficient existing buildings can be tackled.

www.morganlovell.co.uk

MOTOROLA

Shortlisted - Best Consumer Goods or Retail Company

Mobile phone maker Motorola entered the Green Business Awards with a project to build the world's first commercial solar and wind-powered base station in Namibia. The site went live in May 2007 and produces enough power to serve mobile phones up to 120 kilometres away. Carbon dioxide emissions are being cut by over five tonnes per year.

www.motorola.com

NATIONAL EXPRESS

Shortlisted - Best Transport or Travel Company

National Express is a leading provider of bus, coach and rail services. Working with consultancy Waterman, the company successfully trialled the use of bacteria to treat waste water from washing buses contaminated with hydrocarbons. An outstanding result was achieved: a 90% lowering in water use, a 70% cut in sludge generation and reduced costs.

www.nationalexpress.com

P&MM

Shortlisted - Best New Product

P&MM is a B2B marketing services agency specialising in performance improvement for both public- and private-sector organisations. In 2007, the firm launched the Greentravel2work scheme for Nottingham City Council. This offers annual bus passes on a salary-sacrifice basis, encouraging bus travel and saving both employee and employer money.

www.p-mm.co.uk

PAPER ROUND

Shortlisted - Best Environmental Business

Paper Round was founded by Friends of the Earth (FoE) in 1988 to help offices avoid landfilling of white office paper. What started as an environmental cause has turned into a successful business. Now a standalone company, Paper Round offers complete office-recycling solutions to 3,700 businesses and holds 10% of London's office-recycling market.

www.paper-round.co.uk

PARAGON PRINT & PACKAGING

Shortlisted - Best Industrial or Manufacturing Company

Paragon Print & Packaging supplies packaging products to the fresh and chilled food sectors. In 2007, it introduced recycling facilities in a bid to end all landfilling of waste by 2010. This and other green initiatives have generated net cost savings of more than £100,000. Paragon is planning a carbon-neutral production site for occupation in 2010. Headquartered in Spalding, Lincolnshire, Paragon has seven manufacturing sites across the UK.

www.paragonprintandpackaging.com

RADISSON SAS EDINBURGH

Shortlisted - Best Overall Environmental Performance

The Radisson SAS hotel in Edinburgh has introduced a raft of green measures and is the Rezidor Hotel Group's flagship environmental property. It believes it is the first hotel in Scotland to have a full-time 'responsible business' manager. The hotel has recorded sweeping improvements in its management of energy and waste.

www.radissonsas.co.uk

STRALFORS

Shortlisted - Best Business Services Company

Shortlisted - Best Overall Environmental Performance

Originally founded in Sweden in 1919, Stralfors is a specialist in print and information transfer, focusing on large companies. The company's main green initiatives have dealt with energy and waste management. By implementing a power factor correction unit, it made a saving of £40,000 a year in electricity bills. A rainwater harvesting system now serves the company's toilets. Waste to landfill has been cut by 70%.

www.stralfors.co.uk

STONE CIRCLE LIVERY

Shortlisted - Best Micro-Organisation

Kent-based livery company Stone Circle Livery is the UK's first fully organic livery yard and a campaigner for higher green standards in Britain's huge equestrian sector. The firm employs just two full-time staff but is regularly asked to lecture on environmental management and organic systems. It has planted more than 23,000 trees and restored wild meadows.

www.stonecirclelivery.com

TARKETT

Shortlisted - Best Industrial or Manufacturing Company

Floor manufacturer Tarkett has made significant changes to its manufacturing process, reducing the carbon footprint of its products by 32% and cutting the amount of waste going to landfill by a quarter. A less complex manufacturing system means that lifecycle costs have also been cut by a third. Flooring offcuts are recycled to produce new product.

www.tarkett.com

THE GREEN INSURANCE COMPANY

Shortlisted - Best SME

The way it has successfully taken an environmental car insurance proposition out to a wide UK market led the judges to pick the Green Insurance Company as winner in this year's Best Financial Company category (see p19). A great success, it remains a small firm, still with only 28 staff.

www.greeninsurancecompany.co.uk

VITAL EARTH

Highly Commended - Best Environmental Business

Vital Earth manufactures eco-friendly, organic, peat-free composts, and garden feeds. Its wants to move the environment to the top of the garden industry's agenda - and build a sustainable and commercially viable business in the process. It launched an environmental initiative 18 months ago, with emission and waste reduction targets and deadlines. The company plans to install a biomass boiler and to ensure that all company cars are in excise duty band C or below. It is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2012 and is sourcing all materials locally where possible. Noise and lighting requirements are monitored daily and minimised.

www.vitalearth.tv

YEO VALLEY ORGANIC

Shortlisted - Best Consumer Goods or Retail Company

Somerset-based farming and dairy business Yeo Valley has a wide-ranging green programme. A drive for greener energy has included planting 42 acres of miscanthus to be burned to heat farm offices and other buildings. The company has already slashed its carbon dioxide emissions, and plans to extract energy from animal slurry.

www.yeovalleyorganic.co.uk