Blue Skies has received a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development for the third time.
The award recognises the company’s contribution to development in Africa and South America, producing harvest-fresh cut-fruit and freshly squeezed juice prepared within the country of origin.
In particular, the award acknowledges how the Blue Skies Joint Effort Enterprise Model - which espouses the idea that a business works best if it is inclusive, socially equal, and profitable -has enabled the company to turn itself around following the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland in 2010, which grounded flights over Europe and prevented the business from importing its products for over five days.
Blue Skies founder and chairman, Anthony Pile, said: “It is a huge honour to receive this prestigious award for the third time. Since the business was founded in 1998, we have continued to show how our Joint Effort Enterprise model can work to bring people together to enable the business to grow and tackle whatever challenge is thrown at us.”
Blue Skies' prepared fruit products are available under retailer own-label at more than 15 leading European supermarket chains, while its freshly squeezed juice are available under the Blue Skies brand in Ghana and South Africa.
Since receiving its first Queen's Award in 2008, the company has continued to strengthen its commitment to sustainable development.
Pile said the firm's aim of producing the finished product in the country of origin has resulted in number of benefits, including employment for over 3,500 people, and investment in local communities through the Blue Skies Foundation.
