The parent company of Essex & Suffolk Water has been named among the winners in the 2014 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

Northumbrian Water is honoured in the Sustainable Development category of the awards, which are announced annually on HM the Queen’s birthday.

The utility group supplies water to 1.8million customers in East Anglia, as well as water and waste water services to 2.6m customers in North East England.

It is the second time that the group has been recognised in the catgory, meaning it will be entitled to display the Queen’s Award insignia for a further five years.

Its awards citation says: “Having developed a credible strategy to generate 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020, it has contributed much towards environmental improvement, developing innovative methods for generating electricity from sludge, utilising reed-beds to treat waste and co-digesting many waste streams in anaerobic digester plants.

“Whilst increasing the capacity of an existing reservoir to secure water for 1.5m people, it is boosting the wildfowl and bio-diversity habitat. It has demonstrated sector-leading outreach to communities, including donating 1% of pre-tax profit, establishing staff volunteer programmes, sponsoring improvement in a failing school, offering space to projects and developing a health centre within a deprived community.”

Heidi Mottram, chief executive of Northumbrian Water, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award for the second time and to have this royal endorsement continuously for a decade.

“Everyone in the company has played an important part in our success,” she added.

“This recognition reflects our determination to become the best water and waste water company in the UK and our continued effort and commitment to protect and improve the environment, support local communities, contribute to the economy, be innovative and to the well being of our people.”