SOUTHWOLD brewer Adnams has received further recognition for its efforts to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment. Adnams has been awarded the “Big Tick” mark in the 2008 Business in the Community Awards for Excellence.

SOUTHWOLD brewer Adnams has received further recognition for its efforts to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment.

Adnams has been awarded the “Big Tick” mark in the 2008 Business in the Community Awards for Excellence, which were presented at a gala dinner event held at Audley End, near Saffron Walden.

The brewer has set industry-leading standards for energy efficiency, water usage, effluent control and recycling through a combination of investment and employee initiatives.

Its new distribution centre, largely hidden within a former mineral extraction site on the edge of Southwold and featuring environmentally-friendly lime and hemp walls and a living sedum roof, uses 58% less gas and 67% less electricity per square metre than its old warehouse.

New energy-efficient brewery equipment, which recovers heat from each brew to reheat the next, was completed last year and this, combined with a new light-weight bottle which had reduced fuel consumption in the distribution process, has helped Adnams produce the country's first carbon-neutral beer.

Another regional recipient of a “Big Tick” mark at the awards was Maldon-based EOL IT Services which provides a computer equipment recycling service for businesses. EOL sells 50% of the items it collects in complete form and 40% in component form, with just 10% being sent for actual recycling.

Also among the regional Big Tick winners were Anglian Water for its Water in the World educational campaign, Norfolk County Services and the Ford Motor Company, each for their Skills for Life workforce development strategies, and supermarket giant Tesco for its carbon reduction initiatives.

Besides the Big Tick awards for excellence, the following regional awards were also announced:

Most Innovative New Programme: Winner - Norfolk County Services/Meridian East (Talent Together); Highly Commended - Anglian Water (Fat, Oils and Grease).

Mills & Reeve Pro Bono Company of the Year: Winner - Farrows; Highly Commended - Fisher Jones Greenwood.

Anglian Water Business Volunteering Team Award: Winner - Norwich Union; Highly Commended - Diageo Great Britain.

National Offender Management Service East of England Ted Best Award: Winner - Grundfos Pumps; Highly Commended - Barhale.

Norwich Union Individual Employee Volunteer Award: Winner - Bob Blenkinsop, Ford Motor Company.

Government Office East Social Cohesion Award: Winner - East of England Co-operative Society.

Best Regional Business in the Community: Winners - Ford Motor Company (Large Company Award); LSI Architects (Small Company Award).

The HRH The Prince of Wales Ambassador Award: Winner - Patricia Fuller, HR Director, Norfolk County Services.

Sieff Award, sponsored by Marks & Spencer: Winner - Robert Morrall, Director, Cementaprise Ltd.