Company praised for commitment to education and health in India

The Huddersfield-based group, which supplies products ranging from natural stone paving to bollards and tree guards, received recognition in the Coffey International Award category at the national Business in the Community (BITC) Awards for Excellence, held in London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Working with Indian non-Governmental organisation Hadoti Hast Shilp Sansthan, the company has helped established five free schools and six free health centres in Rajasthan, the heart of India’s quarrying area, from where Marshalls sources some of its natural stone.

The centres give children education they would not otherwise have received and ensure their and their families’ welfare is catered for. Since it was set up in 2007, the project claims to have touched the lives of more than 35,000 people.

Marshalls marketing director Chris Harrop said: “Receiving a commendation in the Coffey International Award category is particularly important to Marshalls because it recognises all of the work that we’ve done to ensure that sustainable and responsible business practices are at the heart of what we do.

“Through a range of actions, Marshalls has worked tirelessly to improve working conditions throughout the entire supply chain and we’re enormously proud of what we’ve achieved so far.”

The Coffey International Award identifies and celebrates contributions from businesses supporting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. These are eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV, AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.

The national commendation follows a host of awards collected by Marshalls at the regional Business in the Community awards in Leeds last month.

The Prince of Wales also announced Marshalls’ chief executive Graham Holden will remain as his Prince’s Ambassador for Yorkshire and Humber for a second consecutive year. The Prince of Wales told the awards via a video link: “I cannot thank Graham enough for his energy and commitment and am delighted that he will remain my ambassador for the next year.”