Business in the Community Awards

Corporate award ceremonies typically are self-congratulatory affairs for industry insiders. But the list of Business in the Community award winners provides a fascinating insight into how many small and large companies are introducing socially responsible and environmental business practices within their organisations. Marks and Spencer was company of the year because of its Fairtrade cotton clothing, its pledge to guarantee Britain’s diary farmers a fixed price for their milk and conversion of its sandwich packaging to cardboard sourced from sustainable forests. Radio Taxis Group is the world’s first carbon neutral taxi company, having reduced their net CO2 emissions to zero, instituted a programme to reduce emissions at source, and buying carbon credits. By improving waste management, Meadowhall Shopping Centre generated approximately 5,258 tonnes of waste, of which 3,413 tonnes were recycled. Kraft Foods is buying significant quantities of coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance certified sustainable farms and blending them into mainstream lines such as Maxwell House. Several construction companies were awarded for developing techniques to reduce the environmental impact of construction operations on site. :: Business in the Community via :: Financial Times