A Marks & Spencer supplier has been rewarded for “excellence in environment and ethical issues” at the M&S Plan A Awards, which took place at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Presented for the first ever time at the show, John Shropshire of JB Shropshire & Sons, based at Hainey Farm in Ely, received the M&S Plan A in Action award for considering the environment in every aspect of the business.

JB Shropshire & Sons supplies M&S with a range of outdoor salads and vegetables through the farm’s marketing company, G’s Marketing Ltd.

The company was awarded the £1,000 prize for focusing on reducing the environmental impact on his farm by carrying out a carbon footprint evaluation and improving the habitats for local wildlife.

Recently JB Shropshire & Sons has installed a new propagation nursery at the heart of his salad production sites which has saved a total of 36, 750 lorry miles per year and reduced associated diesel consumption by 5,000 gallons.

John Shropshire said: “It is an honour to receive the M&S ‘Plan A in Action’ Award as it is a true testament to the hard work and dedication that we all put into the farm and I look forward to continuing to build on our achievements in the next year.”

M&S technical manager Hugh Mowat said: “We recognise that many M&S producers are taking great steps to improve the sustainability of their business and we are keen to recognise and promote this good practice throughout our supply chain.

“John is a very worthy winner as he has really taken the spirit of Plan A on board and is continuing to take great steps to improve the sustainability of his business as well as having significant impact on the industry through sharing best practice.”

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