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The Southern Daily Echo Eco Business of the Year Award contenders

IT is a challenge that must be faced by businesses as well as wider society.

And the Southern Daily Echo’s Eco Business of the Year Award will recognise an organisation which has developed new and innovative practices to embrace the challenge of climate change.

The award winner will have demonstrated positive environmental impact through its own processes and behaviour and is likely to have also achieved an increase in business success as a result.

The judges are looking for evidence of green innovation and a commitment to improve environmental practices, particularly in the reduction of carbon output, alongside evidence of the green-enablement of the workforce.

These will have included sustainable purchasing, car-free travel, energy efficiency, recycling and resource use, water use and the communication of key messages.

How these impacted on the business to drive new sales and increase client bases, as well as delivering a competitive advantage are also part of the judging criteria.

Environmental consultancy Olive, whose managing director is Charles Burt, has been appointed to judge the Eco Business of the Year award.

The firm, based at the University of Southampton Science Park, is one of the UK’s leading environmental consultancies, providing stragegic advice and environmental training courses.

The National Oceanography Centre

THE National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is a world leader in ocean research.

Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, the Southampton-based centre is at the forefront of understanding climate change by researching the ocean.

NOC strives to operate in a way that minimises its own environmental impact. The Southampton site is a complex dockside building housing over 700 staff and some 500 students.

The site maintains an environmental management system certified to ISO14001 and has achieved the Carbon Trust Standard.

Since 2006 the site has reduced its carbon footprint by around 870 tonnes of CO2 – equivalent to 157 average UK homes each year.

The University of Winchester

THE University of Winchester was established in 1840 and combines this heritage with innovative learning and teaching.

There are over 6,000 students studying a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The university prides itself on being a small, stylish, specialist, values-driven institution with a picturesque campus close to the city and transport links.

The university is dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and this has been reflected with a number of successful initiatives and high-profile awards.

These include reducing its carbon emissions by 22.5 per cent per square metre of the estate and being ranked 22nd out of 142 higher education institutions in the People and Planet Green League 2011.

HCR

HCR is an independent global relocation management group with a UK headquarters, a US branch in Florida and a network of partners providing relocation services in 150 countries.

For over 30 years they have continued to provide breakthrough mobility solutions to both government and corporate clients.

Basingstoke-based HCR continues to work hard to not only improve its business impact on the environment but also influence its clients, suppliers and other SME’s across the south.

In August 2011 HCR became the first relocation management company in the world to achieve a carbon neutral status, aligned to the globally recognised PAS2060.

The Two Hoots Campsite

THE Two Hoots Campsite in Alresford has embraced the green agenda in its growth as a business.

It now has four eco-friendly camping pods with sheep’s wool insulation for a cosy getaway. Recycling has been introduced across the site and an energy efficient oak barn has been built to house facilities for travellers staying in tents or pods.

The business has incorporated bio diversification and many environmental practices. Metered and card electricity has been introduced to make campers aware of how much power they use and the campsite uses rechargeable batteries, refillable ink cartridges and biological cleaning products.

The campsite has collaborated with many local businesses on eco-initiatives, including a local minibus which has agreed to collect visiting campers enroute, saving unnecessary car journeys.