On the recommendation of the Prime Minister, Nottingham based environmental social enterprise, NEP Energy Services Ltd (NEPes), has been given the most prestigious award available for British business – the Queens Award for Enterprise. NEPes was one of only 13 businesses in the UK to be recognised with the award for Sustainable Development.
The Queens Award recognizes businesses that make up the backbone of the UK economy. In 2011-12 one third of all UK economic growth was from the low carbon economy. In recognition of this, last year NEPes launched the local branch of a national environmental management network for business called ‘Investors in the Environment’.
The network is aimed at supporting other businesses to also benefit from the growing low carbon economy, by providing ongoing resource efficiency support, opportunities in low carbon product development or promotion and a simple but recognised environmental management accreditation. The programme is run in partnership with local university business schools and is supported by the Chamber of Commerce and the Environment Agency.
Jerome Baddley, NEPes Sustainability Services Manager said “In an increasingly green aware marketplace, we help businesses save money quickly with resource and energy efficiency, then innovate to improve their green credentials and cut the environmental impacts of their products.”
NEPes has already worked with over 100 small businesses in the last 6 months, many of these in collaboration with Derby and Nottingham Business schools.
NEPes is a charity owned social enterprise, focused on reduction of carbon emissions and fuel poverty. From writing the Energy Strategy for the City of Nottingham, to supporting thousands of households to install energy saving measures, NEPes has a huge positive impact in growing the low carbon economy across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
From its inception, NEPes has always believed in “action not words”. Action leads to investment, which creates opportunities for local low carbon sector businesses.
Over the last 5 years NEPes has worked with the majority of NHS Trusts across the region on carbon reduction programmes. Alongside environmental benefits, this work has helped unlock financial savings of over £3m per annum, particularly through sustainable procurement initiatives.
80% of NHS carbon emissions are from the goods and services they purchase. Increasingly, large organizations have asked. NEPes to support in pushing environmental responsibility down their supply chains. This has meant expecting lower carbon products and better environmental management. The Investors in the Environment network is NEPs approach to bridging the gap between these large buyer’s expectations and the capacity of local business to supply into the low carbon marketplace.
Phil Angus, NEPes General Manager said “This award is recognition of the impacts of our hard work over the years – supporting the low carbon economy across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. We look forward to supporting many more communities, organisations and businesses to thrive; to make immediate cost and carbon savings through our programmes, such as Investors in the Environment, savings that will benefit us all in the long term”
