Businesses back a greener world

BUSINESSES from across Yorkshire are showing their support for the outstanding environmental work undertaken by firms, organisations and individuals throughout the region by sponsoring this year's Yorkshire Post Environment Awards.

The Yorkshire Post received nearly 100 entries across the 10 categories for the 2010 awards, which aim to build on the success of last year's inaugural event by celebrating continued excellence and innovation in the environmental field.

The winners will be announced at a special awards evening at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, on Thursday, March 4.

The event will be hosted by Sheffield-educated TV presenter Julia Bradbury, well known for fronting BBC shows Countryfile and Wainwright Walks and as president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England for South Yorkshire.

The keynote speaker on the evening will be Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Tickets for the awards dinner are available now priced 55 plus VAT, and include a reception, three-course meal and half-bottle of wine.

For details contact Jayne Lownsbrough, the Editor's Secretary, on 0113 238 8432, or email [email protected]. Alternatively, write to Jayne at the Yorkshire Post, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 1RF.

Manufacturer of the best green product

Sponsored by STS

The design and production of environmentally-friendly equipment are issues close to the heart of Wetherby-based STS.

The firm is a major supplier and service provider of office equipment technology to businesses throughout the UK, predominantly supplying network copiers, printers and scanners.

Chief executive Peter Langstaff said the decisions firms make over the sourcing of such equipment can have a serious impact on their carbon

footprint.

He said: "These devices have a major effect on the environment in terms of CO2 emissions they produce, both during manufacture and use, and also by materials going into landfill in the form of waste toner and

ink cartridges and used parts.

"Not only does STS supply state-of-the art technology, we also have invested heavily in our own 'R' series brand of equipment and consumables.

"The 'R' series range of products are recycled through our technical services division and are available as an addition or an alternative to customers who wish to reduce their overall impact on the environment.

All products supplied carry the same 'as new' warranties and guarantees."

Mr Langstaff said his firm's supply of greener products is helping hundreds of businesses cut their CO2 emissions.

"Emissions from the manufacture, supply and usage of new office equipment print products can make up a large part of a typical company's overall carbon footprint,"he said.

"As environmental issues are on the boardroom table at most companies today, the use of 'R' series products help towards their achievement of becoming a 'greener' company and reducing their overall impact on the environment."

By sponsoring the award for Manufacturer of the Best Green Product at the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards next month, STS now hopes to

celebrate other firms who have been taking similarly innovative approaches.

Community award

Sponsored by Yorkshire Water

YORKSHIRE Water said it was keen to get involved with the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards because "the environment and its fragile state is one of the biggest challenges we face in the 21st century".

The water company is one of the region's biggest consumers of energy and so understands the role it must play in Yorkshire's inevitable transition to a low carbon economy. It is sponsoring the Community Award, for groups working to make their community greener.

Anne Reed, Yorkshire Water's community relations manager, said: "We're supporting these awards because we believe it's only right to recognise those companies, organisations, schools and individuals in the region who are playing their part in protecting and safeguarding our environment.

"The good news is the region is blessed with lots of green champions, with their number growing each year. We're proud to sponsor these awards, not just because we believe it's right to celebrate those businesses and individuals committed to making a positive impact, but also because we believe in practising what we preach."

Ms Reed highlighted the firm's ground-breaking One Million Green Fingers campaign, through which thousands of volunteers have contributed to creating hundreds of sustainable gardens in primary schools.

She said: "As the second-largest consumer of energy in the region we're committed to reducing our carbon emissions and operating more efficiently, most notably through the exploitation of renewable energy resources.

"Last year, we increased our renewable energy generation by 25 per cent, meaning we now produce three per cent of all of our own electricity needs – a figure we aim to increase to 10 per cent by the end of this year.

"To know you're making a difference is incredibly exciting and something that, like the many other business, organisations and individuals involved in championing the environment, only spurs us on to do even more in the future."

Young people's award

Sponsored by Asda

SUPERMARKET chain Asda said it is sponsoring the Young People's Award in recognition of the increasingly important role youngsters are playing in protecting the environment.

The food store giant is sponsoring the award for the second consecutive year, championing the school, college or youth group that does most to promote environmental issues among its staff, students and the wider community.

Julian Walker-Palin, head of corporate policy for sustainability and ethics at Asda's headquarters in Leeds, said: "We think it's really important to showcase the environmental activity that's taking place around the region, and we think these awards are a really good way of doing that.

"With the Young People's Award, these are the shoppers of the future and they are the ambassadors of this agenda as well.

"'Pester power' is forcing a huge amount of pro-environmental changes in families' habits across the UK. Sponsoring these awards brings to light the activity youngsters are doing in Yorkshire and acts as a beacon to others to say, 'You could do this as well'."

Mr Walker-Palin said the company has set itself three key environmental "aspirations" to eventually achieve – being powered entirely by renewable energy, creating zero waste and selling products which are environmentally sustainable.

"Our stores emit 20 per cent less carbon than they did in 2005," he said. "Some of the changes we have made have been technical, and some behavioural. We have looked at lighting and heating and air conditioning systems, and replaced some with more efficient models. We have also trained store managers on using power more efficiently."

Mr Walker-Palin said Asda's distribution network has also achieved a 40 per cent cut in carbon emissions since 2005.

"We had a re-think of the whole system," he said. "We have totally changed the way we get things round the country, using double-decked trailers, more freight rail and by fitting our trucks with technology to monitor how efficiently we are using fuel."

Best environmental business

Sponsored by CO2Sense Yorkshire

"THE science is undeniable," says Joanne Pollard, chief executive of CO2Sense Yorkshire. "The world is heating up and our environment is under threat."

As the head of the publicly-funded body set up to help Yorkshire cope with the transition to a low carbon economy, Ms Pollard has no doubts about the importance of championing those individuals and organisations leading the way in this cutting-edge field.

"CO2Sense Yorkshire works with many companies who are finding many ways to cut their CO2 emissions," she said. "Everyone worries about CO2 emissions, and so it's important to remind ourselves about all the hard work and successes coming out of Yorkshire. That's why we're delighted to sponsor the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards for the second year running.

"Through our work with hundreds of businesses in the region, we see so many inspirational examples of businesses fighting climate change. From innovative ideas for cutting emissions and reducing waste to new ways of using resources more efficiently, we're constantly impressed with the great work that's happening here in Yorkshire. This work deserves celebrating."

As well as sponsoring the award for best environmental business, CO2Sense – which is a subsidiary of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward – is also the awards' overall sponsor.

"With our heritage of heavy industry and power generation, Yorkshire faces more environmental challenges than other regions," Ms Pollard said. "Our challenge is to cut carbon without cutting business growth.

"CO2Sense Yorkshire has been working hard to help companies to achieve reductions in their emissions.

"We've allocated grants to help companies with new ideas to bring their ideas to the market. We're working with a range of organisations to encourage the development of a regional carbon capture and storage network. And we help companies of all sizes make the changes that make a real saving in carbon emissions – which often saves them money, too."Innovation award

Sponsored by Science City York

PIONEERING technology partnership Science City York said it sees the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards as a valuable opportunity to champion the region's eco-credentials.

Formed 12 years ago as a partnership between the City of York Council and York University, the organisation aims to help businesses develop and grow in cutting-edge fields such as bioscience and IT.

New chief executive, Prof Nicola Spence, said: "Aside from the obvious importance of helping to sustain high visibility centred on the 'green' agenda, the Yorkshire Post awards are an opportunity for Science City

York to publicly recognise, celebrate and share in the success York and the region offers in terms of world-class expertise in environmental science."

Science City York is sponsoring the Innovation Award, which honours excellence in the development and deployment of new environmental technologies.

"Promoting success in innovation is inherent to our core aims and activities," Prof Spence said. "For more than a decade the company has been a lead contributor in driving this process."

The professor added she has no doubts about the importance for firms across the region of developing technologies to aid the transition to a low carbon economy. The region emits more C02 than any other UK region.

"It's certainly not a statistic we're proud of, but one that drives us to work even harder to address and mitigate the situation. Regionally, there is an open and collective sense of responsibility behind tackling the issue, and the region is taking the lead to provide solutions," she said.

"Science City York is actively leading targeted, capital investment in infrastructure to support research capability in environmental technologies.

"Specific projects include the creation of a new centre of excellence for developing new renewable energy technologies. Plans are similarly underway to establish formal working partnerships with the recently launched Centre for Low Carbon Futures and CO2Sense Yorkshire."

Countryside award

Sponsored by Northern Gas Networks

UTILITY firm Northern Gas Networks said it was keen to get involved with the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards to prove its own commitment to backing green issues in Yorkshire.

The company owns the region's gas pipelines, and is responsible for distributing gas to homes and businesses across the North of England. It is known for pioneering a new approach to undertaking road works using recycled material.

The head of health, safety and environment, Dave Hutchison, said it was "proud" to be sponsoring the Countryside Award for the second year.

"Northern Gas Networks is committed to its environmental principles, and sees its sponsorship of the awards as demonstrating this and its support for regional initiatives in the environmental arena,"

he said.

The Countryside Award recognises work undertaken by individuals and organisations to preserve and protect Yorkshire's stunning natural environment.

Mr Hutchison said Northern Gas Networks tries to ensure all the work it carries out on gas pipelines is as environmentally-friendly as possible.

"Caring for the environment is embedded in all our daily operations across the North of England," Mr Hutchison said.

"This includes recycling the spoil we generate from our excavations, reducing the number of excavations we have to make through inserting new gas pipes inside old ones wherever we can, reducing the amount of virgin aggregate we need from quarries to refill the excavations when we have completed our works, and taking care that we do not contaminate drains or waterways."

The Leeds-based firm's pioneering work recycling the rubble from its roadworks is estimated to save about 25,000 tons of waste from going to landfill every year.

The excavated material is taken to a plant in Sheepscar, Leeds, crushed and mixed with cement and water before being used to refill the hole from which it was taken.

Built environment award: Projects over 1m

Sponsored by Grant Thornton

ACCOUNTANCY firm Grant Thornton is sponsoring the award recognising large-scale building projects which have best integrated environmental factors into their design.

Mark Burke, partner at Grant Thornton's Leeds office, said he was delighted to be sponsoring an award for the second year.

He said: "As a firm we are committed to continually improving and promoting sound environmental practice. We also believe environmental protection is a strategic business issue, and an integral part of our business strategy.

"We are particularly honoured to recognise the entrants in this category who are breaking new ground in integrating environmental considerations into their building projects, and we wish each of them the very best in their bid to win an Environment Award."

Mr Burke also highlighted the crucial issue of green energy for businesses, describing it as the "battleground of the future" as

the world moves towards a low carbon economy.

He said: "Energy, environment and sustainability is a key sector within Grant Thornton's nationally-based Government and Infrastructure Advisory (GIA) team, which has over 100 professionals operating from offices in Leeds and around the country.

"We have been active in the renewables and waste sectors for a number of years, and currently have leading positions as advisers in these markets. Our people have deep industry and sector knowledge, as well as broader project finance capabilities, public sector consultancy skills and extensive experience transacting project finance deals.

"We believe energy is the battleground of the future, with green energy solutions becoming ever more crucial. We recognise the challenges and opportunities that will arise in the coming years through the competition for basic resources and the need to transition to a low carbon economy.

"To this end we combine our energy, environment and sustainability expertise in one team to bring together our existing capabilities and embed the principles of sustainable development throughout the work carried out by Grant Thornton's GIA team."

THE SHORTLIST

Best Environmental Business

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate;

Duraweld;

Taylors Environmental Services.

Manufacturer of the Best Green Product

Acorn Briquettes;

Ecomix;

Econoplas.

Innovation

First West/North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire;

GWE Biogas;

Partners in Innovation.

Community Award

Bishop Wilton Village Hall and Playing Association;

Leeds University Union;

Settle Hydro.

Young People's Award

5th Spen Valley Scouts;

Ganton Special School;

The just a.s.k. project.

Climate Change:

BTCV;

Groundwork;

United Bank of Carbon.

Built Environment: Projects over 1m

Morrisons;

Halifax Regional Agricultural Centre;

Great Yorkshire Showground;

Safety Central, Bramley.

Built Environment: Projects under 1m

The Melting Pot, Todmorden;

Tenters, Netherton.

Countryside Award

Studfold Explore Discover and Learn Trail;

Heaton Woods Trust;

Ragged Robin Conservation Group.

Green Champion Award

The winner of the this award, which is sponsored by the Yorkshire Post, will be announced on the night.