24 April 2013
(From l to r) Dan Taylor, managing director and Gordon Thomson, industrial services manager (Scotland) from Enviroco won the VIBES Environmental & Clean Technologies Award in 2012.
— Regional briefing events taking place across the country in May —
— For images or case studies, please email jbrander@webershandwick.com —
The race is on to find the country’s most environmentally-aware businesses as the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland Awards (VIBES) opens for the fourteenth year.
VIBES is Scotland’s leading environmental awards scheme. It aims to recognise businesses of all sizes and sectors employing environmental best practice in their day-to-day activity to cut down on resource use, increase sustainability, improve reputation and benefit the company’s bottom-line.
For more than a decade, the free-to-enter awards have produced winners from across Scotland, drawn from a range of sectors including: manufacturing; food and drink; transport; oil and gas; environmental services and leisure.
The deadline for this year’s entries is Friday 5 July at 5pm.
In May, a series of free events will take place across the country where businesses will be able to find out more information about the awards and meet some of the VIBES steering group who will be on hand to answer any questions about how to apply.
The special regional launch events will take place between 4pm and 6pm at the following locations:
- Changeworks, Edinburgh (36 Newhaven Rd, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH6 5PY) on Wednesday 1 May
- Newsprinters, Motherwell (Eurocentral) on Wednesday 8 May
- Enviroco, Peterhead (ASCO South Base, Peterhead Offshore Supply Base, Peterhead AB42 2PF) on Monday 13 May
Gillian Bruce, VIBES chair explains: “The free regional launch events are an opportunity for potential VIBES candidates to gain more information on the awards. Attendees will also hear about the benefits of winning a VIBES Award from past winners and receive impartial advice from VIBES partner organisations on how to submit a good entry.”
“The aim of VIBES is to recognise businesses operating in Scotland that are trying to help make the country more environmentally aware and that are working towards Scotland’s 2020 carbon reduction targets.”
Enviroco, based in Aberdeen, won the Environmental and Clean Technologies Award last year and will be hosting one of this year’s launch events at its site in Peterhead.
Graham Heaton, Bid and Marketing Manager at Enviroco said: “We won last year’s VIBES Award with our reduced-man entry tank cleaning system, Eclipse. As a hazardous waste management company, it was great to be recognised for our environmental efforts in reducing waste and water usage while cleaning tanks.”
“Hosting one of the launch events is a fantastic opportunity to meet representatives from other like-minded businesses.”
There will be a total of ten awards this year, including two new categories: the Hydro Nation Award and the Circular Economy Award. Winners will be selected from the following categories:
- Management Award: large company category (more than 250 employees)
- Management Award: SME (up to 250 employees)
- Energy Award
- Waste and Resources Award
- Transport Award
- Environmental and Clean Technology Award
- Changing Behaviour Award
- Hydro Nation Award
- Circular Economy Award
- Best Micro Business Award
ScottishPower has returned to sponsor the Environmental and Clean Technology Award this year. Gordon McGregor, energy and environment director at ScottishPower, said: “The VIBES Environmental and Clean Technologies Award helps to inspire new ideas and technologies from Scottish companies, focussed on making our society more sustainable.”
“Our business is committed to helping Scotland and the UK achieve their carbon reduction targets, and as a business we are investing substantially in low carbon energy initiatives and technologies ourselves.”
“We were delighted to see such outstanding entries from last year’s shortlist and we are pleased to be supporting the awards once again.”
In addition, Energy Saving Trust will be sponsoring the VIBES Transport Award and this year’s Waste and Resources Award will be sponsored by Enviroco.
VIBES is an accredited awards scheme which feeds into the European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE). By winning a VIBES Award, companies are eligible to enter the EBAEs, which attract entries from the cream of Europe’s most environmentally positive businesses.
Gillian continues: “All our awards are judged on set criteria which focus on commitment and innovation as well as environmental and economic benefit.”
“Last year the competition was of a very high standard with many deserving entrants and we hope that even more of Scotland’s leading businesses will enter this year to be in with a chance of gaining recognition for their sustainable practices.”
VIBES is a strategic partnership between Energy Saving Trust, Green Business Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Government, Scottish Water and Zero Waste Scotland.
The partnership allows for a rigorousjudging process and the awards are accredited by the RSA Environment Awards Accreditation Scheme.
The Scottish Government will be sponsoring the Energy Award and the Hydro Nation Award.
ScottishPower and the Energy Saving Trust have returned to sponsor the Environmental and Clean Technology and Transport Award this year. In addition, previous winners Enviroco and Mainetti will sponsor this year’s Waste and Resources Award and the Management (large) Award.
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