The Co-operative Group has won a prestigious 2008 European Business Award for the Environment.
The awards recognise “the Best of the Best” businesses that have won awards at national level. Out of 125 companies that applied for the awards, the jury had selected 11 finalists with the Group being the only one from UK. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony during the annual Green Week conference in Brussels last week.
Given in four categories, the European Business Awards for the Environment recognise businesses that make a particular contribution to sustainable development by combining innovation, economic viability and environmental concern.
The Group won the Management Award for strategic vision and management systems which enable companies continuously to improve their contribution to sustainable development. The judges said: “The Co-operative Group won the prize for its approach to sustainable development. Its social goals strategy identifies the environment as a primary issue.”
Patrick Allen, Director of Marketing, commented: “When it comes to climate change we are consistently recognised as a UK leader, but it is particularly satisfying to be acknowledged as the best in Europe.”
“For several years the Co-operative Group has been working to significantly reduce its own carbon impact and we have campaigned heavily on the important issue of climate change. We purchase virtually all of our electricity from renewable sources, we operate a wind farm on our land in Cambridgeshire and we are committed to reducing our electricity and gas consumption by 25 per cent by 2012.”
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