Technology

Waste companies win Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Waste management company Veolia Environnement and commercial recycler and social welfare charity Recycling Lives have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, billed as the ‘UK’s highest accolade for business success’, are announced annually by Her Majesty The Queen on her birthday (21 April).

Comprising three categories: International Trade; Innovation; and Sustainable Development, the awards are granted to businesses for ‘outstanding achievement’ on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is assisted by an Advisory Committee that includes representatives of government, industry and commerce, and the trade unions.

Presentation ceremonies are conducted at the winners’ premises by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County as Her Majesty The Queen’s representative, with winners receiving a Grant of Appointment and a presentational item bearing the emblem. 

A corporate award is valid for five years and successful organisations may fly the Queen’s Award flag at their principal premises and are entitled to use the emblem on their stationery, advertising and goods.

Additionally, HM The Queen hosts a reception at Buckingham Palace for representatives of the winning companies.

Veolia award

Veolia received the award for Sustainable Development for ‘setting the sustainability benchmark’ and in recognition of its business strategy, which ‘focuses on manufacturing green energy and calories and places it at the centre of the circular economy’. 

The company currently recycles over one million tonnes of waste annually and converts non-recyclable waste to provide electricity and heat to over 300,000 homes.

Veolia said it also distinguished itself as a ‘social sustainability leader’ by annually providing 20,000 hours to charity work, donating £50 million pounds to community projects, engaging with schools, and helping unemployed people, including ex-offenders, back into work.

Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia Environnement Executive Vice-President UK & Ireland said: “It is an honour to be recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for the work we have done over the last five years transforming the business.

“This award highlights the work all 14,000 members of staff have undertaken to continue to drive the business forward - for us sustainability is not part of our business, it is our business!”

Recycling Lives award

Another waste company recognised in the awards for Sustainable Development was Recycling Lives (receiving the award for a second time since 2010), which was hailed for its strong social performance, and noted for its recently-launched Flat Panel Display recycling and employment project at Kirkham prison.

Granting the award for a second time to Recycling Lives, the office for the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise stated: ‘Widely accredited for its environmental management, the company targets niche recycling markets, processing previously unrecyclable items, such as flat screen displays, and making working components available for re-sale where possible.

‘By supporting charities, social enterprises, community ventures and ethical businesses, Recycling Lives sets a benchmark not only for the sector, but for industry in general.’

Dave Allen, Development Manager at Recycling Lives, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the Queens Award for Sustainable Development for the second time. Our work within HMP Kirkham continues to prosper, providing a valuable prison industries project which focusses on recycling flat panel displays and increasing offenders employability.

"The award helps add credibility to our network of nationwide dotcom schemes [including SkipHireNetwork.org, OfficeClearanceNetwork.org, BulkyWaste.org and ScrapCarNetwork.orgwhereby the schemes promote reuse and recycling across the country and support charities and ethical businesses whilst doing so.”

‘Showing what an enterprising nation we are’

More than 160 Queen’s Awards have been announced this year for ‘outstanding business achievement’ in the fields of International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development.

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable said: "Companies that are growing, innovating and championing UK business overseas deserve the recognition that these awards bestow.

"With more than 100 international trade winners this year, it is clear that Britain is emerging as a leader in selling its quality services and products throughout the world.”

Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock added: "The Queen's Awards are a prestigious honour for a company to receive and the extent of this year's winners shows what an enterprising nation we are.

"The fact that small businesses can share these honours with large household names illustrates that they are the backbone of our economy and deserve to be recognised as such. I would encourage every UK business to consider entering next year's historic 50th year."

Read more about winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2014 or find out more about Veolia and Recycling Lives.