Edinburgh based Soilutions and Celtic Renewables Ltd, and South Queensferry’s Wind and Cloud Travel Ltd. were recognised as champions of business sustainability at the 15th annual Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards held last week in Glasgow.
Soilutions picked up the Circular Economy award, sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland, Wind and Cloud Travel were awarded the Best Micro Business Award, sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and Celtic Renewables were commended in the Environmental Product or Service category, sponsored by ScottishPower. The awards ceremony was held at Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel and attended by over 300 people from a wide range of Scottish businesses and organisations.
The VIBES Awards is Scotland’s leading environmental awards scheme. The Awards recognise businesses that contribute to the country’s sustainable development by taking significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment.
Each of the 14 finalists was subjected to a rigorous judging process, including a programme of site visits which saw the VIBES judging panel travel across the country to assess the environmental practices of the named finalists.
The awards aim to encourage efficient use of resources, enhance business competitiveness, improve environmental performance and support wider sustainable development goals. Awards were presented for each of the eight categories: Management (Large and Small), Environmental Product or Service, Transport, Co-operation, Hydro-Nation, Circular Economy and Micro Business (full list of category winners available in notes to editors).
Gillian Bruce, Chair of the VIBES Awards, commented: “Each of our winners deserve credit for the work they are doing to improve their company’s bottom line through sustainable practices. The VIBES judges were consistently impressed by the lengths that the winning companies have gone to in order to put environmentally responsible practices at the centre of their business operations.”
John Curran, Managing Director of Soilutions, (photographed above) said; “We are delighted to be recognised for our environmental achievements through this VIBES Award. At Soilutions we are committed to sustainability, from the projects we manage to the way we run our business. It is great to have this focus recognised by the VIBES judges. ”
Katja Wündrich, Founder of Wind & Cloud Travel Ltd., commented: “Sustainable Tourism has always been at the heart of our business but we are still a bit overwhelmed by this amazing news. To receive the recognition and acknowledgement through the VIBES Awards for our efforts shows us that we are on the right track. And we will keep going.”
Each of the VIBES winners is eligible to enter the European Business Awards for the Environment. In 2014 six out of the 12 entries representing the UK were chosen from previous VIBES Awards winners. Edinburgh-based Vegware and Stonehaven’s Bay Fish and Chips were selected as the only UK finalists in 2014, putting Scotland firmly on the map in terms of sustainable business practices in Europe.
The VIBES Awards is a strategic partnership between Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Government, Scottish Water, Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise, Zero Waste Scotland, Energy Saving Trust and the 20:20 Climate Group. The Awards are further supported by CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses and Bright Green Business.
Sponsoring the event this year are Business Stream, Albert Bartlett and Sons Ltd, ScottishPower, Scottish Government, Zero Waste Scotland, Lothian Buses Ltd., NetRegs, Chivas Brothers, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the University of Stirling Management Centre.
Submitted by Lesley Ogilvy
