· Resource management company Veolia scoops top prize of Responsible Business of the Year 2016 for their work towards a low carbon world
· New Circular Economy Taskforce launched at the Gala, attended by HRH The Prince of Wales
· Whitbread scoops Environmental Leadership prize for environmental innovations at Premier Inn and Costa Coffee
Resource management company Veolia was named Responsible Business of the Year 2016 at Business in the Community’s 2016 Annual Responsible Business Gala at the O2 arena in London last night, attended by HRH the Prince of Wales, President of Business in the Community. The firm was recognised for embedding responsible business practice into its core business strategy, through it’s ‘Resourcing the World’ programme which creates green products, water, waste and energy management innovations delivering both positive social and environmental impact and financial value.
By moving towards a low carbon world, and taking a ‘circular economy’ approach to eliminate waste entirely, Veolia’s UK profits increased by 7.69% from £209.9m in 2014 to £225.9m in 2015.
Demonstrating that the environment is now central to responsible business behaviour, a new Circular Economy Taskforce of business, was also launched at the awards, backed by the Prince of Wales and supported by a number of businesses, including Veolia, Walgreen Alliance Boots, PwC, Anglian Water, Saint Gobain, ASDA, Interserve and Viridor. It aims to foster greater business collaboration on environmental issues and to encourage innovation, knowledge sharing and more efficient resource management amongst business.
Hospitality firm Whitbread was also recognised, winning an Environmental Leadership Award for its Eco-Pod coffee shop which creates as much energy as it consumes and Premier Inn Hub, a new kind of city hotel run entirely on renewable energy.
Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: “Veolia’s win as Responsible Business of the Year 2016 demonstrates that making a difference and being a successful business are not mutually exclusive, and the company is strengthening the sustainable development of industries, businesses and communities by putting responsibility at the heart of operations.
“The Responsible Business Awards provide the proof that from the largest global multinational to the smallest local firm, business is a powerful force for good in society and this year we have seen some fantastic examples of what companies are doing to work towards a low carbon economy.”
The Responsible Business Gala was the culmination of the 2016 Responsible Business Awards to celebrate innovative ways that businesses in the UK and abroad are making a sustained difference and transforming communities and was supported by Fujitsu, the 2015 Responsible Business of the Year.
To see full list of 2016 winners and their case studies visit www.responsiblebusinessawards.org.uk http://www.bitc.org.uk/awardstories.
