An increasingly important part of operating a business is developing an understanding of your environmental impact and implementing strategies to reduce it.
The Environment and Sustainability Award, sponsored by Norse Group, at the Norfolk Business Awards 2022 recognises a local business that demonstrates a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint through innovative and sustainable practices, and to promoting a greener business model.
Here are this year's finalists.
Aquaterra Energy
Aquaterra Energy provides equipment and solutions to the global offshore energy industry, from seabed to surface, oil and gas to wind and hydrogen.
The company was founded in 2005 and has supported customers in the North Sea, Southeast Asia, West Africa, the Caribbean and Australia.
Aquaterra Energy is headquartered in Norwich and has additional offices in the UK, Norway, Perth and Egypt.
The judges said that Aquaterra Energy has “generated a good framework for establishing its environmental impact and is taking proactive steps to address its sustainability”.
By looking at how it can reduce its impact by using locally-sourced products in areas such as engineering, design and travel. and building in commitments to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Aquaterra showed the judges that it is "committed to making business change”.
Buzz Off
Buzz Off has been providing safe and professional live honey bee swarm removal services throughout East Anglia since 2020, saving nearly two million bees to date.
Founder and wildlife management expert Louise Chapman and her team assess buildings where swarms have been found and remove the honey bees safely, without using pesticides. The insects are rehomed in a local hive, to ensure their protection.
The judges praised Buzz Off’s business model, which has been established to support biodiversity, and said that businesses like Buzz Off “show a clear stewardship for nature”.
They said that the business is driven with passion and Louise “has clearly set a vision for the future”, investing time and resources into ensuring that as many bee colonies as possible survive during relocation.
Mobilityways
Mobilityways, based in Norwich, produces climate tech to help 250 large employers across the UK achieve their net-zero goals by enabling them to measure, reduce and report their commuter emissions.
The company began life during the pandemic and since then the talented team of 30 ‘commutologists’ has quickly found a place in the market.
The judges said that Mobilityways offers the market “an excellent solution to mitigate considerable impact from employee commuting”, something which they said the economy is starting to understand on the journey to net zero.
Mobilityways demonstrated how it has really looked at changing behaviours to help those who need to commute to do so with the least environmental impact and the judges commended the business’ “continued drive” to look at what other technologies are available to drive down commuter emissions.
SaxonAir
Founded in 2007, SaxonAir is a Norwich Airport aviation business employing over 50 people. It operates six jets and six helicopters around the UK and Europe, looks after a variety of aircraft at Norwich Airport, and also offers office, training and event space at its Business Aviation Centre.
Although it operates in an industry where there is considerable impact on the environment, the judges that Saxon Air is seeking to address this by “taking some proactive steps to reduce its overall impact and should be highlighted as a beacon within the aviation industry”.
The judges were interested to see how SaxonAir has, as part of its environmental commitment, brought a bee colony on to site – small changes that show the business’ efforts towards making a difference.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here