The Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA) has been awarded the Green Agency of the Year Award at the NFEA National Enterprise Network Awards 2010, in recognition of its environmental business support.

CREA saw off competition from business support agencies across the country to scoop the trophy at a ceremony held in Nottingham last month.

The agency was established in 1984 and is a key member of the ENWORKS environmental business support partnership, with bases in Kendal and Penrith.

The NFEA National Enterprise Network’s Green Agency of the Year category recognises agencies that successfully champion sustainability in their own organisation and support their clients to do the same.

This year CREA impressed the judges with its Cumbria Business Environment Network (CBEN) Awards and its success in improving the environmental performance of businesses across the county, as part of the ENWORKS resource efficiency programme.

The agency has helped more than 750 businesses in Cumbria to improve their resource efficiency and make substantial cost savings.  Since 2003, ENWORKS support has helped Cumbrian businesses with annual savings of over £15 million, 67,000 tonnes of CO₂ and 736,000 m³ of water and is helping to diverted 59,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year.

CREA was also commended for its sustainable office facilities, incorporating renewable energy technology such as ground-source heating, rainwater harvesting, wind catchers and photovoltaic solar panels.

The organisation’s ongoing CBEN Awards scheme encourages businesses to develop Environmental Management Systems through a series of workshops and mentoring opportunities.

'A shining example'

CREA’s executive director, Bob Clark said: "This award reflects the high levels of effort and enthusiasm that our environment team put into helping Cumbrian businesses become more environmentally friendly.

"I know that they will keep up the good work, and continue to make Cumbria a shining example of best practice in these environmentally conscious times."

Businesses can find out more about the free support for SMEs in Cumbria available through CREA by emailing Michael Hamer or calling 01768 891555.
 

Posted 27 October 2010