By Green Business Awards judging panel: Ken Taylor, Araine Crampton and Guy Beards.  March 2010.

Council calls for businesses to commit on Carbon Footprint

 Sponsor Wiltshire Council’s Alistair Cunningham presenting the Salisbury & District Chamber of Commerce’ Green Business Award in February 2010 said that the council was committed to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2020.  It was looking for business to do likewise, adding that being sustainable not only benefited the environment but the bottom line as well. 

 The winner was Neal’s Yard Remedies, with Emery Little Insurance Brokers and Ayres Heating & Plumbing respectively first and second runners up.   

The judges were a panel organised by South Wilts Agenda  21, and included Ken Taylor a retired General Manager formerly with Shell, Ariane Crampton, Head of Climate Change, Wiltshire Council and Guy Beards, Lecturer in Health, Safety and Environmental Issues, Wiltshire College Salisbury. 

Criteria for the Green Award had been revised from the previous year to include all three element of sustainability – environmental, social and economic.  Candidates were asked :

“To describe how your business improves the environment or promotes 
sustainability. This may include, for example, how you have reduced the 
carbon footprint of your operations, marketed a product or service that 
improves your customers’ environmental performance, improved management of 
your supply chain or helped the community in a relevant way.

Judges will be looking for evidence of:
- your commitment to sustainability, for example policy statements and 
their implementation;
- life-cycle resource efficiency, including measures to reduce your contribution 
to global climate change, minimise waste and improve supply chain management;
- benefits to society, including links with your community, involvement of your workforce and other stakeholders.
- how your environmental initiatives impact your business, demonstrating 
that they are economically sustainable”.
 

In the event, the judges were faced with a wide range of entrants, from office-based businesses who work at operating greener, to those trading in green products or services.  Some were passionate but just off the starting block, others relied heavily on having a green product.  Some have dilemmas and work hard at making improvements in inherently less sustainable activities.  Leaders however tended to have strength across the range of criteria, and generally based on some years developing their approach.      

And what for the future?

 

In order to help build awareness and capability in sustainability, Wiltshire Council’s Climate change team will be recruiting a member of staff with the specific mandate to support Wiltshire businesses during 2010.  The premise is that many businesses want to improve their approach to sustainability, but often don’t quite know how.  The Council’s objective will be to provide businesses with access to leading resources to help build awareness of what they can do to improve.  Wiltshire Council can be contacted via Ariane Crampton on climate.change@wiltshire.gov.uk or 01225 756198

 A parallel network has been operating in Hampshire for five years; the Sustainable Business Network(SBN).  Major businesses combined with the local authority to fund a post based in the council’s offices.  The national SBN in New Zealand told SWA-21 last year that they had been inspired by Hampshire’s example, and then went further to create the New Zealand Greenlist – a web-based directory of businesses showing their green credentials set against their SBN’s criteria.  We wonder; could something similar be supported here?  Anyone interested in the prospect is invited to contact Ken Taylor on kentaylor47@hotmail.co.uk

 Wiltshire College is working to improve its own environmental performance, and to incorporate these ideas in their teaching.  Many young people have embraced this work and produced some really good displays, presentations and video.  The college is also keen to provide local businesses with the skills they need to efficiently manage their environmental performance and gain recognition for doing so.  Wiltshire College can be contacted via Guy Beards at guy.beards@wiltshire.ac.uk or 01722 344213