It's time for companies, councils and charities to start penning their entries to the National Recycling Awards. The UK's green accolades, which reward best practice in the public and private sector, have been running for eight years and are widely recognised as the stamp of excellence in the recycling industry. New awards targeted specifically at SMEs and FTSE 250 companies have been introduced for 2007, as environmental issues move to the top of the business agenda.
Organised by Materials Recycling Week, the National Recycling Awards are open to any organisation, community group or company that is affected by recycling, plays an active part in the recycling process or is involved in the production chain of recycled products. Winners will be presented with their awards at a prestigious black-tie awards ceremony at the Telford International Centre on 14
November 2007, following the annual Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee Conference.
Full entry guidelines can be found on www.nationalrecyclingawards.com and the closing date for entries is 24 August 2007.
The 2007 National Recycling Award categories are:
- Sims 250 Award - a new category targeted at FTSE 250 companies;
- Small Business Recycling Initiative - a new category targeted at SMEs (small
and medium enterprises);
- Veolia award for Recycling Officer of the Year; - Valpak award for Best Waste Minimisation Project; - Repic award for Electrical and Electronic Recycler of the Year;
- Viridor award for Recycling Target Success;- Re-Gen award for Best Partnership Project for Recycling;- Baylis award for Best Supermarket Recycler; - Grosvenor award for Best Local Authority Initiative; - mrw.co.uk Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jane Rayner, group editor of Materials Recycling Week and chair of the judging panel, said: "Companies both large and small are increasingly adopting environmental practices to tackle the enormous challenges of climate change and waste. FTSE 250 companies have an integral role to play in leading towards a more sustainable society, as do the UK's four million SMEs which employ over 50 per cent of our workforce. This is why we have introduced two new categories this year - the Sims 250 Award and the Small Business Recycling Initiative.
"Meanwhile local authorities and other organisations continue to embrace change and are working hard to comply with new legislation. We would urge them all to enter the National Recycling Awards so that their achievements can be recognised."
The industry recognition of winning a National Recycling Award is huge. Previous winners report that it has raised their profile, boosted staff morale and helped them to win new contracts.
Last year's winners included Bexley Council who won the Grosvenor Award for Best
Local Authority Initiative in recognition of a recycling initiative which targeted the Sikh community at home, school and work. The council has since been invited to the House of Commons and has shared its experiences with other local authorities who have Muslim and Sikh communities.
Tesco Stores won the Best Retail Recycling Initiative (a category which has now been amended to the Baylis Award for Best Supermarket Recycler) for introducing state-of-the-art recycling machines which doubled recycling rates at sites where they were installed. Tesco senior buying manager Andrew Duckworth said there was "a great sense of personal pride in winning the award" and it "helped to send a positive message to our staff. It demonstrates that if you do the right thing, your work will be recognised."
Hitech Equipment won The Valpak Award for Waste Minimisation Project of the Year for its waste treatment systems for problematic and hazardous wastes. Hitech head of sales and marketing, Gaynor Hutton, said: "The amount of business we've had after winning the award has been really good. When you win a nationally recognised award, it gives you a lot more authority. We've had lots of positive feedback, lots of people got in touch and we've had lots of jobs out of it. It's been really good for business." The entries will be judged in September by a panel of industry professionals including Anna Shepard, Times columnist and "Eco-Worrier"; Tim Danaher, editor of Retail Week; Lee Marshall, chair of the Local Authority Advisory Committee;
Lindsay Millington, director general of the British Metals Recycling Association; Dr Liz Goodwin, chief executive of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP); Peter Jones, director of external relations and affairs, Biffa Waste Services; Dr Stuart McLanaghan, director of Associates in Industry Ecology and Garth Ward, retired from the Salvation Army, who won the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award. A list of nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award will be
posted on 31 August and the winners will be voted for on www.mrw.co.uk.
For more information please visit www.nationalrecyclingawards.com