As the UK’s environmental performance improves twofold, rising from 12th place in the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) to 6th place in the 2018 rankings, over 68% of European consumers expect companies to implement programs to protect the planet, according to a survey by Nielsen.
Doing their bit to enhance the UK’s eco-credentials is Staffordshire’s Nelson’s Distillery, who have just been given the Signal 1 Radio Green Impact Award in recognition of their efforts.
The first ever Signal 1 Radio Business, Lifestyle and Culture Awards took place this month at Bar Social, Newcastle-Under-Lyme and was designed to celebrate the local, hardworking community in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent. The evening was a tribute to the city’s ‘can do attitude’ and to celebrate businesses who go above and beyond to embrace diversity and be inclusive to all.
Charlie Marlow, Sponsorship, Promotions and Interactive Manager at Signal 1 and 2 said “Nelson’s Distillery fought off some great competition to win our ‘Green Impact’ award.” She said the judge’s had recognised the efforts the distillery was making to preserve the environment. She concluded “Stoke-on-Trent is a hive of activity with traders and creatives who are proud to work alongside one another and serve our community in many different ways.”
From the sustainable, carbon neutral site where they have made their home, to the discount given for returning empty bottles, Nelson’s have strived to be as eco-friendly as possible since their inception in 2016.
- With beautiful Wade ceramic bottles used to house the gin and rum, Nelson’s Distillery encourages a ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ policy: customers can either return their bottle to receive a 10% discount on their next purchase or repurpose it in the home as a vessel for flowers/bubble bath.
- The Uttoxeter distillery has its own fresh water source, used to make all of the gin and rum blended onsite. The reed bed acts as a natural filtration system, before the water is filtered, scanned and tested prior to being used in the gin and rum.
- Nelson’s is based at Grindley Business Village, a futuristic site which is working towards being totally off-grid. Numerous green energy sources are available, including a wind turbine and anaerobic digester power plant – both of which are used to power Nelson’s Distillery. The site also sells energy back to the grid and is on target to become “the only off-grid business village in Staffordshire by the end of 2019, one of only a handful in the UK” – Steve Hughes, owner of Grindley Business Village. He went on to say “Neil and the team are doing their bit for the environment by choosing to make their home at the rurally located Grindley Business Village, using carbon-neutral energy and helping to reduce traffic and pollution in town centres.
The Nelson’s Gin bottles which attract a discount on next purchase when returned
Nelson’s environmentally conscious efforts have won accolades from consumers and businesses alike, with new client Titanic Brewery commenting of the relationship “we are committed at Titanic Brewery to constantly look at reducing the impact we have on the environment so to hear our friends and supplier, Nelson’s Distillery, has been awarded this wonderful award is truly fantastic! It’s great to see more businesses becoming conscious about their footprint and making amazing changes to reduce their impact. We are very proud to work with such a forward thinking, local company!”
Neil Harrison, Founder and Master Distiller at Nelson’s Distillery said of the award “we are extremely gratified to receive this acknowledgement. One of the reasons we chose to base ourselves at Grindley Business Village was because we feel so passionately about our environmental policy, and in supporting the work that Steve and his family are striving so hard for. We support this further by working with Wade Ceramic to offer our customers an aesthetically pleasing bottle which can also make an elegant ornament – though for repeat customers who may find themselves with a surplus of bottles we also have our discount recycling scheme.”