The Scottish base of potato supplier Branston has been shortlisted for two environmental awards.
The company’s Perth site has been hailed as one of Scotland’s most sustainable organisations and is among 34 companies on the list for this year’s Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) awards.
The VIBES programme has been running for 13 years and recognises the actions and achievements of Scottish companies in reducing their impact on the environment.
Eric Ritchie, general manager at the Branston site, said: “We are really delighted to be shortlisted for this award against such stiff competition as Shell UK and Royal Bank of Scotland. As a £123 million turnover company and one of Tesco’s top fresh produce suppliers, Branston knows the importance of playing its part in protecting the environment for future generations.”
Ritchie believes Branston’s environmental strategy is “leaps and bounds ahead of many of its competitors”. It has been shortlisted for two awards: for the large company category of the management award and for the energy award.
In the management award, Branston has been recognised for its environmental management system which aims to reduce carbon emissions in a variety of ways and in the energy category, the potato company has been lauded for its efforts in reducing consumption of electricity, fuel and water.
Winners of the nine categories will be announced at a special ceremony taking place on 29 November 2012 at The Glasgow Marriott Hotel.
Gillian Bruce, VIBES chair, said: “Our expert judging panel of environmental specialists from a variety of sectors has been visiting sites across the country to evaluate each of the shortlisted applications first hand and we have been suitably impressed.'
VIBES is a strategic partnership between: Carbon Trust, CBI Scotland, Co-operative Development Scotland, Energy Saving Trust, Green Business Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Government, Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Zero Waste Scotland.
“Sustainable business practice is about making the most of the resources you have in order to cut carbon emissions, which of course translate to savings,' concluded Bruce.
