News @ Seacourt
Seacourt scoops Major Commendation at environmental awards
The best in UK environmental excellence was celebrated on 1 July at the 2009 Business Commitment to the Environment (BCE) Environmental Leadership Awards in London. 12 companies received recognition for their outstanding achievements and design and print company, Seacourt, received a Major Commendation from Richard Lambert, Director-General of the CBI.
Founded by Sir Peter Parker in 1975, the BCE Awards scheme is one of the world's longest running environmental award schemes. It celebrates businesses that the BCE independent judging panel recognises as meeting the commercial demands of the present, without compromising the environment for future generations.
Based in Oxford, Seacourt is a design and print company that shows a clear determination on producing printed products by means of the most environmentally sympathetic processes. It demonstrated the environmental achievements that can be made by a small company, in a highly competitive industry, to the demanding BCE judges.
A key success that Seacourt was recognised for was its investment in new technology and skills that has allowed it to change its printing process to waterless offset. This process has seen the company significantly reduce water use and slash its volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 98%. The company is now seeking alternative ink systems to further reduce its VOC emissions.
In addition, Seacourt has introduced systems that result in almost all of its packaging and waste materials being recycled. It has also invested in the installation of energy efficient lighting and lighting sensors. Impressively, Seacourt showed the BCE judges how, in addition to making its own significant advances, it is also stimulating positive environmental change in its customers and suppliers.
Commenting on its achievement at the BCE Awards Jim Dinnage, Chairman of Seacourt, said: ‘We take our responsibility to the environment very seriously at Seacourt. I am very proud of our team and the good work that they do to continually raise our performance in this area - and indeed, challenge standards in our industry. Receiving this Major Commendation from the BCE Awards is fantastic recognition to further demonstrate that the hard work is paying off'.
Bovis Lend Lease scooped the Sir Peter Parker Award and the winners of the BCE Premier Awards were: Pfizer, River Dart Country Park, Sainsbury's with NCR and Toyota Manufacturing UK. Major Commendations were also awarded to: InterfaceFLOR, Camira Fabrics, BaxterStorey, Robert Wiseman Dairies, Marshalls, and ScottishPower Renewables .
Praising all of this year's winners, BCE President, Sir Anthony Cleaver, commented: ‘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'.
Sponsored by AEA, Blake Lapthorn, Brunswick, E.ON, Gazeley and The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the 2009 BCE Awards once again successfully promoted the business benefits that the UK's environmental pioneers have achieved through their endeavours and ingenuity.
Congratulating the winners, Richard Lambert, Director-General of the CBI, said: ‘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'.
Applications for 2010 BCE Awards are now being accepted. Any company that feels it deserves peer and public recognition for its outstanding environmental excellence and leadership should download an application form from the BCE Awards website (www.bceawards.org) and send it in before the closing date of 5 October 2009.
28 July 2009
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