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Case Studies |
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Sustainable Development
2007 - Crest Nicholson PLC
2007 - Fibercore Limited
2006 - Traidcraft plc
2005 - Adnams
2005 - Clinton Devon Estates
2005 - Country Lanes
2005 - The Venus Company
2004 - Scottish Seabird Centre
2004 - Second Nature UK
Crest Nicholson PLC
Crest Nicholson PLC received the Award in 2007 for its continuous achievement in the delivery of sustainable homes and community regeneration. The company has demonstrated a strong sustainability performance across all its operations, with particular strengths in its environmental performance. The company has striven to reduce its ecological footprint through a range of measures aimed at minimising consumption of materials, increasing energy efficiency and reducing its waste and CO2 emissions. The company was commended on its engagement with stakeholders at the research and strategy level but also with respect to individual project development. The company has also worked to enhance the sustainability performance of its suppliers, integrating sustainable procurement criteria into tenders. It has also received recognition by WWF for its sustainability performance, as part of their ‘One Million Sustainable Homes Campaign’.
Business: Sustainable homes and community regeneration
Location: Surrey
Employees: 787
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Fibercore Limited
Fibercore Ltd received two Queen’s Awards in 2007 for Sustainable Development and International Trade. The Sustainable Development Award was granted for their outstanding advance in the successful implementation and promotion of a cost-effective sustainability programme across their operations; the production and development of speciality optical fibres. The company has striven to embed sustainability well beyond the typical practises of a manufacturing company of its size. It has also evidenced an ongoing commitment to maximise the benefits it can bring to wider community stakeholders. Particularly commendable, is the company’s provision of facilities, resources and training to several educational initiatives in local schools and universities, both within the UK and developing countries within which it operates. Fibercore Limited has also engaged in initiatives aimed at disseminating best practice across the UK and more widely, in international industry. Fibercore also won an Innovation Award in 2004, making it the first business unit to hold Queen’s Awards in all three business Award categories.
Business: Production and development of speciality optical fibres
Location: Hampshire
Employees: 26
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Traidcraft plc
Traidcraft plc offers the widest range of fairly traded products in the UK. In 2006, it received a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development. The company advocates fair trade as being integral to sustainable development and ensures ethical, transparent business practice between all parties.
Amongst Traidcraft's sustainable practices is a strong commitment to developing long-term relationships with producers, thus providing stability and security of trading; and a policy of sourcing as much produce as possible from the developing world through direct purchasing from these countries. It also uses 100% renewable energy at its headquarters building.
"We are delighted to receive a Queen's Award, which we see as powerful independent recognition of the value and quality of our work both as a trading company and as an organisation committed to fighting poverty through trade," said chief executive Paul Chandler. "This Award demonstrates the business case for more sustainable approaches to business.
"Winning a Queen's Award has brought immediate benefits, not just in terms of boosting the morale of staff and other supporters of our mission, but in underpinning our credibility when we advocate greater corporate social responsibility and fairer trading terms for the poor. Within weeks of the Award being announced, it was evident that many of the major companies with whom we were discussing responsible purchasing practices, had noticed the Award and were listening to what we had to say."
Business: Fair trade goods
Location: North East
Employees: 140
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Adnams
A values-based approach to business management as brewer, wine merchant and hotelier has earned Adnams plc a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development. Based in Southwold in Suffolk, it has made significant improvements to the environmental impacts of brewing such as energy, water and materials consumption, and improved the emissions associated with logistics. It has also demonstrated a clear commitment to employee satisfaction and wellbeing.
"The Award helps to strengthen all of our relationships," says Simon Loftus, Chairman. "We're a values-driven business, and at the heart of this is a sense of employee pride, which is greatly boosted by the Queen's Award.
"Our values-driven approach means that we are also viewed with respect and affection by customers, suppliers and the local community, and the Award enhances this and raises our profile.
"We had entered before, and the feedback we received on our application about how to improve our entry was fantastically valuable - it made us look at our processes and systems from a different perspective."
Business: brewer, wine merchant and hotelier
Location: East
Employees: 308
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Clinton Devon Estates
Clinton Devon Estates wins the Award for the integration of sustainable business management practices into the running of its 500-year-old estate. Among other initiatives, it follows best practice standards such as those set by the Forestry Stewardship Council and Countryside Stewardship Scheme, enhances biodiversity, minimises waste and demonstrates a clear commitment to the local community.
"Winning the Award has undoubtedly had a very positive effect on a regional and national level, within the local community and across all the Estate team," says Estates Director John Varley.
"On a regional and national level, it puts not only our Estate but other land-based businesses within a different framework. It demonstrates that we deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits, which is sometimes forgotten. Regionally too, it reinforces what we provide to the area - landscape, biodiversity, public access, opportunities for small businesses and so on. We are seen as a serious player and so gain more influence on policy development within the region.
"Within the community it is also very positive as it reinforces in people's minds the benefits we bring and strengthens their support for the Estate. Finally, it's a great motivator for our staff at all levels, which is particularly important when it comes to recruitment and retention of high quality people."
Business: estate management
Location: South West
Employees: 77
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Country Lanes
Country Lanes received the Award for developing a cycling holidays business which delivers all the benefits of tourism without the damaging effects of road traffic and pollution. With headquarters at Fordingbridge in Hampshire, its cycle hire centres are based at rural railway stations and over 80% of customers arrive by rail, eliminating one million car miles and reducing CO2 emissions by 328 tonnes a year.
"We're a small business and it gives us recognition, status and credibility," says Managing Director Susan Achmatowicz. "We deal a lot with public bodies - local government and sustainable funding partners, for example, and the Award opens doors for us. We operate in America, where the Queen's Award gives us the competitive edge.
"It's important for all partners - it's the whole credibility thing - it shows we pursue best practice and are leading edge.
"We were able to generate a huge amount of publicity at the time," he continues. "The Independent and The Times both covered us, and then The Times went on to feature us in the travel pages."
Business: cycling holidays
Location: South East
Employees: 8
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The Venus Company
Environmental and social considerations are part of every business decision at The Venus Company, which won the Award for its sustainable development credentials in operating beach cafés and shops serving some 5000 to 6000 people a day in season.
Highlights include environmental initiatives such as waste minimisation, local sourcing, elemental chlorine free kraft packaging, support for organic farming and comprehensive staff training. It also supports the local community and employs two people with special needs
"The strongest boost the Award gave to our business was within the industry - by which I mean tourism operators, government agencies and local authorities, as well as environmental groups," says Managing Director Michael Smith. "We had a reasonable reputation before, but these peer and regulatory groups probably have the highest awareness of how hard it is to achieve a Queen's Award, and so it really helps to enhance our reputation.
"For example, when I attend meetings talking about sustainability, I sense they are taking me more seriously, that I am being listened to and being seen as authoritative.
"It will also help to expand our business. If we decide we want to be at a particular beach, the Queen's Award will have a positive effect on how the landlord views us, and how they perceive our credibility as a potential client."
Business: beach cafés
Location: South West
Employees: 12 full-time, up to 35 part-time
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Scottish Seabird Centre
The Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick on the East Lothian coast has become a model of sustainable tourism for visitor attractions throughout the country, and won the Award for its sustainable best practice.
The Centre has installed solar powered cameras in island seabird nesting grounds, with pictures beamed back 'live' to the Centre on the mainland. It also promotes sustainability in its operations, for example, by providing a green travel plan for visitors and creating local jobs, at the same time boosting the local economy by attracting tourists.
"The Award has raised our profile across the UK and has been fantastic from a PR point of view," says Lillian Kelly, Development Manager.
"We received loads of press coverage and a lot of people rang us up saying they hadn't known about us but were now going to come. Many of them must have since visited because we had our millionth visitor in July 2005!
We have 50 active volunteers without whom the Centre could not operate, and it's a great motivator for us all to be recognised for best practice.
"I would recommend any company to try to achieve a Queen's Award. It helps create a benchmarking process, and ask questions of themselves."
Business: visitor centre
Location: Scotland
Employees: 35
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Second Nature UK
Penrith-based Second Nature (UK) receives the Award for developing and marketing 'Thermafleece', a building insulation product manufactured from sheep's wool. As well as having excellent insulation properties, the product creates a revenue stream for sheep's wool that is unsuited to the current textile industry.
"Having a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development is a huge milestone for those of us out there who are trying to make a difference," says Penny Randell, Sales and Marketing Executive. "It is acknowledgement that sustainability matters to us all."
"It's also fantastic for us as a company to have won it. Our staff, manufacturers and the merchants we work with are all very proud to be associated with it. It gave us an opportunity to stop and thank everyone who has helped us along the way.
"We had a lot of publicity at the time, and tremendous support from the Government Office North West. We sent out our own press releases to the specialist press, which generated new enquiries and hopefully over time these will translate into orders."
Business: building insulation
Location: North West
Employees: 6
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Rockware Glass
Winning the Queen's Award has allowed Rockware Glass to highlight its recycling programme and underline its leading role in sustainable development – the company is the largest glass recycler in the UK.
The company publicised the Award through press releases, email marketing and advertising in the packaging and recycling trade press. As a result of the ad campaign, Rockware has been invited to speak at several conferences on recycling, offering further valuable PR opportunities and adding to its credibility in this field.
Business: glass packaging manufacturer
Location: West Yorkshire
Employees: 1065
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Seabait
Being a double Queen's Awards winner proved a great advantage when Seabait was negotiating for expansion finance with private investors and venture capitalists. It was the stamp of approval that helped seal the package.
The Awards have also raised the company's profile overseas, where customers know it is the mark of a trustworthy company. “It is good for staff to see the company being recognised for having made significant achievements,” says Managing Director, Graham Ruthrford.
Business: marine worms for aquaculture feeds
Location: Northumberland
Employees: 23
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