Entries for the Environmental & Sustainability Award, sponsored by Norse Group, at the EDP Business Awards 2024 are now open.
This award aims to recognise local businesses with a focus on reducing their impact on the environment, complemented by clear environmental and sustainability policies.
Roger Smith, director of safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) at Norse, said this should be celebrated because it “shows a real commitment to managing the climate crisis and delivering a sustainability and ethical business”.
As a local business with a strong commitment to sustainability, Norse is once again sponsoring this category for 2024.
“Norse has a very clear vision and path in how the group will take its environmental and sustainability responsibilities and believes we can help and support others,” said Mr Smith on the group’s return to the EDP Business Awards.
“It was very clear from last year’s entrants that many of them align to what we are trying to achieve.”
Mr Smith explained that having a clear strategy and objectives for reducing carbon footprint is key for today’s businesses because “it will have local, national and international input in reducing the overall global carbon emissions”.
In addition to this, sustainable practices can also have tangible business benefits.
“Not only would sustainable practices benefit the environment but also the potential to reduce costs,” said Mr Smith.
As a judge, Mr Smith said he will be looking for “any business that shows innovation” in the Environmental & Sustainability category. Entrants should be able to show evidence of “something that has real impact” and that is “sustainable with clear measures associated with this aim”.
Entries for the EDP Business Awards 2024 close on Sunday, July 28. For more information, please click here.
For more information about this year's categories, please click here.
Meet the sponsor
Norse Group is one of the UK’s largest and most successful local authority-trading companies (LATCo), combining commercial know-how and public service values to provide services to local authorities through partnerships.
Based in Norfolk and operating across England and Wales, Norse employs around 4,000 people locally and 9,000 nationally.
Its brand of ethical commercialism makes it different to private sector competitors; it shares the same values as local authorities, with a firm focus on protecting the environment, delivering social value and meeting the strictest governance criteria.
Every year Norse Group returns millions of pounds to the public purse.
Criteria
The winner of this award will be able to demonstrate a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, and will always be learning and sharing its experiences of this process with others to push the move to a green economy.
The judges will be looking for evidence of enhanced environmental performance across a business’ operations and future sustainability plans.
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