Member Article

Big Tick winners recognised in West Midlands

Seven businesses from across the West Midlands were recognised last night for their commitment to responsible business.

Cleone Foods, Hadley Group, Harper Adams University College, Husqvarna Viking, Jaguar Land Rover, The Midcounties Co-Operative and Opus Restaurant were presented with Big Tick Awards in front of 300 delegates at Warwickshire County Cricket Club last night.

The Awards for Excellence – run by Business in the Community (BITC) - celebrated a host of initiatives in the region, ranging from local sourcing and supply chain development to carbon reduction programmes and the installation of an aerobic digestion plant.

There were also examples of collaboration to boost the arts and crafts and a bespoke schools programme to raise pupil employability.

Of the West Midlands’ Big Tick winners, six will be shortlisted for the chance to win the overall Award in their category at BITC’s gala dinner in London on June 27th.

David Darlaston, Regional Director at Business in the Community, commented:

“Each year I am thoroughly inspired by the amazing examples of what businesses are doing in the West Midlands to incorporate responsible business in all they say and do.

“Our winners show great leadership and willingness to genuinely transform their businesses and the communities in which they operate in by identifying mutual benefits.”

He continued: “There is a growing requirement to do more with less, which requires an innovative, creative approach to tackling society’s biggest challenges through powerful collaboration and effective leadership.”

The Big Tick winners were only one part of the evening, with Kraft Foods Employee Volunteer Awards given to Danks Cockburn (Collaborative Action), PwC (Team), Pinsent Mason’s Jonathan Fortnam (Team Leader) and Lloyds Banking Group’s Andrew Connors (Employee Volunteer Award).

SGH Martineau’s West Midlands Carbon Reduction Awards went to Blakemore Logistics and Oakland International, whilst Globehuggers Emergency Supplies won the Climate Business Resilience title, sponsored by Sustainability West Midlands in partnership with the Environment Agency and supported by the West Midlands Climate Adaptation Partnership.

The final two announcements of the evening were David Richardson, Regional Director of Lloyds Bank, named as The Prince’s Ambassador for Responsible Business and Kevin Davis, Chief Executive of the Vine Trust in Walsall, securing the Marks & Spencer Sieff Award – the latter given to an individual who has collaborated with business to benefit their community.

Paul Drechsler, Chairman and Chief Executive of Wates, said: “The 2012 Big Tick and regional award winners in the West Midlands have been recognised for putting corporate responsibility at the heart of their businesses and for their positive impact on their employees, partners, local communities and the environment.

“The Awards for Excellence are a prestigious accolade for business – indeed we were delighted last year to be named Business in the Community’s 2011 Company of the Year for our deeply-held values of respect for people, communities and the environment.

“Business is a powerful force for good, and we hope other companies in the region are inspired by the positive difference that Big Tick companies are making to the communities in which they operate.”

Celebrating its 30thbirthday in 2012, Business in the Community puts education, enterprise and employability at the heart of its desire for responsible business.

Its achievements in the last twelve months include:

• 32 Business Class Partnerships secured between schools and companies

• 332 primary-aged children receiving literacy and numeracy support from 177 volunteers

• 171 people from a homeless background started its Ready for Work programme, with 29 gaining employment afterwards.

• 38 business leaders attended 3 Seeing is Believing visits

• 9 new companies joined community impact programmes

• 700+ employee volunteers supported Give and Gain Day 2012

• 13 new companies Headquartered in the West Midlands joined as BITC members

The headline sponsor for the Business in the Community Awards for Excellence was Jaguar Land Rover, with support from Birmingham City Council, Hadley Group, Kraft Foods, SGH Martineau and The Enterprise & Diversity Alliance.

For further information, please visit www.bitc.org.uk/west_midlands. For media information, please contact Russ Cockburn at DCPR on 07812 600271

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .