Anglian Water is in the running for a top national honour recognising the UK’s most responsible businesses.

The regional water and sewerage services company, which is based in Huntingdon and covers an area from the Humber to the Thames, is one of three companies on the shortlist for the Business in the Community Responsible Business of Year title.

It is the highest accolade within the Business in the Community organisation’s annual Responsible Business Awards, in which Anglian Water is also nominated in the Environmental Leadership category, along with seven other nominees including British Sugar.

Anglian Water has been shortlisted for the overall award in recognition of its broad commitment to sustainability, including its success in exceeding five-year targets to reduce operational carbon by 10% and emissions related to construction projects by 50%.

The company also works to create a market for its biosolids which are a by-product in the water recycling process, and the board has announced a commitment to reach full carbon neutrality by 2050.

Alongside Anglian Water on the shortlist for the Responsible Business of the Year title are Heathrow Airport, for its Heathrow 2.0 sustainable growth strategy, and creative communications agency Vista, which has offices in London and Leeds, for commitment to diversity.

In the Environmental Leadership category, Anglia Water is shortlisted in recognition not only of its efforts to reduce carbon but also its collaborative approach to working with stakeholders (including government), such as through the Green Construction Board.

British Sugar, whose sugar beet processing operation includes a factory in Bury St Edmunds, is recognised for its £250m investment five years ago to introduce new technology and practices to improve resource efficiency and the use of co-products from the production process to serve businesses across the East of England as well as powering its factory at Bury.