Bovis scoops top prize at one of world's longest running green business awards schemes

In all 12 companies, including pharmaceutical company Pfizer, car manufacturer Toyota, Sainsbury's supermarket and River Dart Country Park, were recognised for their green achievements at the awards ceremony held in London and and at which director-general of the CBI, Richard Lambert, presented the prizes.

It was Bovis Lend Lease, however, which walked away with this year's top accolade, the Sir Peter Parker Award, named after the founder of the BCE Awards, which were launched back in 1975. The company's leadership on sustainability impressed the independent panel of judges because it permeated its entire operations, "delivering measurable advances in waste management, carbon management, sustainable design, sustainable materials and social benefit". In its waste management programme, for example, Bovis Lend Lease is committed to reducing waste to landfill by 70 per cent over the next three years. 

Commenting on the win, Nick Pollard, ceo of Bovis Lend Lease said: "[This award is] a clear benchmark of our performance across not just our industry but across the UK business community."

Research-based pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Pfizer, won this year’s Management Premier Award for its Green Chemistry Programme, which is helping to minimise the use of hazardous materials in the development and manufacture of the company’s products.

The 2009 BCE Process Premier Award was awarded to Toyota Manufacturing UK for its paint booth energy optimisation project, which has reduced CO2 emissions from the paint-shop steam generation by 40 per cent. Over half the energy used in car manufacturing is consumed in the painting process.

It was the installation of receipt printers that print on both sides of till receipts in 7,000 Sainsbury's checkouts that caught the eye of the BCE judges – and helped the supermarket win this year’s Product Premier Award. Sainsbury’s was the first European retailer to install the NCR 2ST receipt printers which has slashed paper usage by an estimated 40 per cent and energy use by between 35 and 50 per cent, when compared to other manufacturers’ till printers. 

The River Dart Country Park won this year’s SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) Premier Award. Situated in the Dartmoor National Park, the company installed the UK’s first hydrodynamic screw. With no adverse effect on the river’s protected and diverse wildlife, the renewable energy generated by the innovative installation is sufficient to power the entire site for at least eight months of the year. Such is its success that seven other UK sites are considering similar installations, including one installation in the River Thames to provide power for Windsor Castle.

In addition to these awards, major commendations for innovative environmental practices were awarded to:  InterfaceFLOR for its QUEST (Quality Utilising Employees Suggestions and Teamwork) waste elimination programme; BaxterStorey for its supply-chain-wide energy and waste reduction initiatives; ScottishPower Renewables for its pioneering Habitat Management Plan; Robert Wiseman Dairies for waste management improvements; Camira Fabrics for its development of STING, a new sustainable fabric from the common stinging nettle; Marshall’s for its environmental focus that has led to the innovative, environmentally friendlier cementitous mix; and to Seacourt which has demonstrated how a SME printing firm can profitably make a raft of environment improvements in a highly competitive market.

Praising the winners of the BCE Awards, which this year were sponsored by AEA, Blake Lapthorn, Brunswick, E.ON, Gazeley and The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, BCE president Sir Anthony Cleaver said: "Never in BCE’s 35-year history has UK business faced greater economic challenges. This year’s BCE Award winners must surely be congratulated.  They should be very proud of their outstanding achievements and held up as shining examples of how improved environmental performance can deliver significant business benefits."

Lambert added: "The CBI has just published its second climate change tracker, which monitors the progress of Government and business towards meeting our environmental goals. It shows that much needs to be done to get us back on track, not least by business. Today's winners are true low-carbon leaders. They have made great strides in curbing their emissions and developing some remarkable low-carbon products and services. It will be their commitment and innovation that will get us on the road to a low-carbon economy."

Over the years, the BCE Awards have recognised the likes of Innocent Drinks, ASDA, Unilever, M&S, Rolls Royce, Ford Motor Co and the Co-operative Group.