The green achievements of Bristol businesses during the city’s year as European Green Capital are to be showcased and celebrated in a unique awards scheme.
The prestigious Go Green 2016 Awards will recognise those businesses that have made significant improvements to their green credentials this year.
And as the awards are predominantly open to Go Green members, organisers hope they will encourage more businesses to sign up to the initiative and join the growing sustainable business community in time for the entry deadline on January 25.
Go Green is a business programme funded by Bristol 2015 and run in partnership between Business West and Low Carbon South West.
It was launched in February to coincide with the beginning of Bristol’s year as European Green Capital. The initiative enables businesses to explore new ways of working and share their experiences with the wider business community, as well as helping them find new clients, retain staff and save money and resources.
The Go Green awards will be staged next February in association with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and sponsors including Natracare, the organic feminine hygiene products firm, and RBS.
Go Green project director Amy Robinson said: “Go Green is an initiative that will continue beyond 2015, so there are still plenty of opportunities for businesses, however big or small, to sign up.
“Even if your company has just become a member, you can still enter the awards as long as you’re able to demonstrate that you’ve improved your business’ green credentials over the past 12 months.”
Go Green suggests new measures and practices that businesses and organisations can implement under five key themes: Planning & Resilience, Travel & Transport, Energy & Efficiency, Sustainable Sourcing and Happy & Healthy.
There will be two awards up for grabs under the each of the five themes, one for ‘best newcomer’ and one for ‘most improved.’
There will also be a Driving Force Award designed for organisations that want to recognise a green champion, wellbeing champion, team or individual who has been driving the biggest green changes in the organisation during 2015. This is a nomination-only award and cannot be entered by individuals.
In addition, the FSB award for Bristol’s Best Green Small Business is open to all businesses in the Bristol City Council area with fewer than 250 employees, and aims to highlight their involvement in tackling environmental issues. This category has a separate entry deadline of January 9 and must be entered via the FSB website: www.bbgsb.co.uk. Entries are not restricted to Go Green or FSB members.
FSB Bristol chairman Ken Simpson said: “There has been much talk of the larger blue-chip companies in the city undertaking green initiatives during Bristol’s successful year as the European Green Capital, but we must remember that there are many smaller businesses in the city that have been contributing to that success.
“We wanted to rectify the situation and as such, we’re rewarding Bristol’s best green small business with £2,000, regardless of whether they are members of the FSB or not. The prize money must be spent on further green initiatives for the business.”
There will also be a prize of £1,000 for the best FSB entry.
Becky Borrow, head of operations at Copper Consultancy, which has been a Go Green member since February, said: “We have been expanding our green initiatives throughout 2015 thanks to inspiration provided by the Go Green events and via our Go Green Action Plan. We are looking forward to learning more about the Go Green 2016 Awards and having something to aim for post-2015 to encourage us to keep improving.”
Businesses yet to sign up to Go Green and create their Action Plan are being encouraged to join the initiative ahead of the award deadlines in January. To become a member and find out more about the awards, visit www.gogreenbusiness.co.uk/2016-awards.
More than 80 businessmen and women gathered for the launch of the Go Green Awards at Averys Wine Cellars this week.
Pictured: Go Green team members and guests at the launch of the Go Green Awards. Photo by Jon Craig joncraig.co.uk
