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Entries open for Scotland's leading green business awards

EXT01 – D04

The search is on for Scotland's top environmentally-friendly businesses as the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards 2010 are launched today (Tuesday 16 March) at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

VIBES is Scotland's leading environmental awards scheme, which is free to enter and aims to recognise businesses of all sizes and sectors employing environmental best practice in their daily activity, whilst also making savings to their bottom line.

Rob Gibson MSP will be hosting the event, with presentations given by Con Kerwin the  Environment Director of William Tracey Group, Calum MacDonald of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and David Douglas of Wiseman Dairies, a previous VIBES winner.

Robin Gibson, Highlands and Islands MSP, said:

"I am delighted to be involved in the VIBES Awards as it is essential to encourage forward thinking and good practice in Scottish business. The more people realise it's in their interest to operate sustainably, utilising Scotland's huge potential for green energy production and consumption, the better off we'll be in meeting our national targets, making this a cleaner and better world in which to live, as well as instilling a new way of thinking and living in the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Scotland."

Con Kerwin, Environment Director for the William Tracey Group, said:

"Winning a VIBES Award for two consecutive years is a great achievement for The William Tracey Group.  As an environmental services company we recognise our responsibility to improve our environmental performance and are working with many of our customers towards achieving their own zero waste to landfill targets. 

"Today, customers demand suppliers who are committed to a sustainable business approach and The William Tracey Group is proud to be amongst a number of companies who have been recognised as making a positive impact on the environment through the VIBES award scheme."

Calum MacDonald, Director of Environmental and Organisational Strategy at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, added:

"VIBES is an excellent award scheme and a great opportunity for companies to showcase their innovative ideas. VIBES sets a gold standard for business and environmental awards and brings together a range of partners with a huge amount of expertise from which entrants can benefit.

"Scotland's environment is its greatest asset. Not only do the VIBES awards recognise Scottish companies who champion the very highest levels of environmental performance, they inspire others to perform well. That's a real win-win situation because it improves Scotland's environment and contributes to sustainable economic growth."

And David Douglas, Group Environmental Manager of Wiseman Dairies, commented:

"We take our environmental impact very seriously and continue to commit considerable resource to minimising that impact. Winning the VIBES award is testament to the progress we have made and the commitment and dedication of our staff to make a difference."

VIBES is currently the only Scottish award scheme to feed directly into the European Business Environment Awards. Two Scottish businesses have been put forward for this year's awards. Nu-phalt Group Ltd based in Rosyth and Total E&P UK Ltd based at St Fergus Terminal in Aberdeenshire, will be two of 11 UK representatives vying for the prestigious awards, which will be announced in June in Brussels.

Businesses and organisations can obtain an application form for VIBES 2010 by visiting the awards website at: www.vibes.org.uk or by contacting Linsey McGillivray, VIBES Awards co-coordinator, on 01896 754 797.

The closing date for entries is 25 June 2010. Entries are assessed on the application form and a site visit. Winners will be announced at a prestigious award ceremony on 1 December 2010. 

Ends

Notes to editors

Businesses from any sector or any type located in Scotland are encouraged to apply for a VIBES award. There are three business size categories for the 'Best Management' Award:

• Businesses with more than 250 employees (Large)
• Businesses with between 50 and 250 employees (Medium)
• Businesses with less than 50 employees (Small)

Awards are also given for "Best Process", "Best Product", "Best Service" and "Best Micro Company".

VIBES is a partnership between:

·         Scottish Environment Protection Agency

·         Scottish Government

·         Environmental Protection UK

·         NetRegs

·         Scottish Business in the Community

With support from:

·         Business Environment Partnership

·         CBI Scotland

·         Energy Saving Trust

·         Federation of Small Businesses Scotland

·         Forward Scotland

·         Scottish Enterprise

·         Zero Waste Scotland

The European Business Awards for the Environment are held every two years and have been running since 1987. They attract entries from the cream of Europe's most environmentally positive businesses. VIBES is currently the only award scheme in Scotland that feeds in to these prestigious European awards.

For more information on VIBES, please visit: www.vibes.org.uk

Press pictures from the launch event will be available by email on Wednesday 17 March 2010 – please contact Linsey McGillivray on 01896 754 797for these and for further information on VIBES.