South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

SOUTH EAST BUSINESSES RECOGNISED FOR BEST PRACTICE IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

4th December 2002

The South East England Development Agency's (SEEDA's) prestigious Sustainable Business Awards competition has recognised the enormous commitment to Sustainable Development by the 21 finalists drawn from businesses across the region. Minister for e-Commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms MP awarded honours to the finalists and overall winners in six categories, including Energy Efficiency and Innovation. Compèred by TV personality, Juliet Morris, the Awards Dinner and Presentation ceremony at Sandown Park Racecourse was attended by more than 300 business and community leaders from across the region.

The Minister commented, "It's great to see businesses exploring how economic, environmental and social goals can support each other. Effective corporate engagement with the big social and environmental challenges we face is key to achieving the Government's aims on those fronts, and is also good for UK competitiveness. I am happy to be involved in recognising the achievements of the South East companies receiving awards today."

SEEDA Board Member with responsibility for Sustainable Development, Kit Oliver OBE DL, said, "All of the companies honoured by these awards are to be congratulated. It is clear that they recognise the value of the Sustainable Development Agenda - the integration of the economic environment, the physical environment and the social environment. I am delighted that they demonstrate a marked growth in the application of best practice in sustainability by a growing number of the region's businesses.

"The performance of these companies ties in well with the thrust of the 2002 review of the Regional Economic Strategy which has sustainable development at its core."

The winners of the category awards were as follows.

• Corporate Social Responsibility - Barduct Ltd., based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
• Energy Efficiency - SHL, based in Thames Ditton, Surrey.
• Innovation - Collinda Ltd.,based in Ashtead, Surrey.
• Waste Minimisation - Dean & Dyball Construction based in Ringwood, Hampshire.

Overall winners were announced for Large Companies and Small and Medium Sized Companies. Matsushita Mobile Communications Development of Europe (Matsushita) won the Large Company category with SHL, Thames Ditton, and Dean & Dyball Construction, Ringwood, Hampshire as close runners up.

Winner of the Small and Medium Sized Company category was Barduct Ltd., from Aylesbury, with ABC Family Nursery, Hastings, and Renaissance Reading Hotel commended as runners up.

SEEDA also announced its Sustainable Business Awards Competition for 2003 and encouraged guests to look to their own activities as suitable entries. For details about how to enter SEEDA's 2003 Sustainable Business Awards, please contact Tanya Mennie on 01483 484278, Email: tanyamennie@seeda.co.uk.