Queen Elizabeth awards sustainable business achievement

Automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover and surplus food re-distributor Company Shop have been recognised as sustainability leaders by receiving a Queens Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development today.


Both UK companies have demonstrated “outstanding” commitment and achievement in sustainable development in their respective fields.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s highest official accolades for business success, and are awarded with the aim of promoting excellence and driving economic growth.

Driver of Recycled Content 

Jaguar Land Rover received the award for its development of a ‘whole-lifecycle’ approach to manufacturing while cutting the environmental cost of production, and incorporating the use of hybrid technology in its models.

The company has worked to reduce the environmental impact at all stages of manufacturing and life-span. This approach has already reduced the CO2 emissions of the company’s EU fleet by 25% on 2007 levels, according to the company.

It has also become a world-leader and driver in the use of aluminium within vehicle design, incorporating large recycled content and resulting in higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

The company has also developed a new range of highly efficient, ultra-low emission, aluminium four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines called Ingenium, designed to power the future Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

Solar Powered

Jaguar Land Rover says it has reduced emissions from both exhaust and operational facilities, with heavy investment in hybrid technology, resulting in the Range Rover Hybrid and the Range Rover Sport Hybrid models.

The new Engine Manufacturing Centre in Staffordshire has been built to cut energy, waste and water usage during manufacturing, including the UK’s largest rooftop solar panel installation at 5.8MW, which the company says will generate up to 30% of the site’s energy.

“Jaguar Land Rover is honoured to receive this 2015 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development,” said Dr Ralf Speth, the company’s CEO. “We are focused on growing a long-term, sustainable business, as leaders in environmental innovation and making a positive impact on society.”

Diverting Food Waste

While being on the other end of business in terms of scale, Company Shop was also recognised due to its “outstanding achievement” in sustainable development, working to “ensure a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come”.

The UK’s largest re-distributor of surplus food works to ensure that as much food that can’t be sold for a number of reasons is eaten as possible, rather than end up in landfill or anaerobic digestion. Issues include size, packaging errors, or seasonal promotions ending.

The company now handles more than 30,000 tonnes of surplus stock from the food supply chain each year.
Community Shop also runs a social supermarket serving local members on income support but also enrolled on life-improvement courses.

Expansion

Currently there are two stores in the UK – one in South Yorkshire and a full-scale supermarket in Lambeth – with plans underway for a further 20.

“We have always been motivated by doing business differently and we put social and environmental considerations at the heart of every decision we make.” Company Shop managing director Mark Game said.

“We’re very excited to receive a Queen’s Award and we hope this will only serve to raise further awareness of the solutions that are in place to avoid unnecessary waste and drive behaviour change.”

Lucinda Dann

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