Valpak Awards 2008 - Looking Forward to Future Years

23 September 2008

Valpak Limited, the UK's leading provider of compliance and recycling services, held its sixth annual awards ceremony at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, on Thursday 11 September.

This annual event seeks to showcase best practise, highlight the individual efforts and to raise media awareness of some of the achievements being made in the field of packaging, electrical and electronics, recycling and education. As the UK's leading provider of dependable and innovative recycling, we feel it is important to recognise commitment to environment, a willingness to raise to the challenges the industry faces and showcase innovative solutions to complex problems.

The Valpak Awards have been designed to recognise and celebrate recycling achievements across a broad spectrum, and include entries from public and private sector, community and third sector, and from individuals who have excelled in their field of expertise. This year Valpak extended the number of categories by opening the awards to young innovators and design students from the Royal College of Art. Two categories also recognised achievements within the waste electronics recycling sector following the implementation of the WEEE regulations in the UK.

The evening was kindly supported by awards sponsors, Wincanton, Barclays Commercial Bank, Ernst & Young LLP, British Polythene Industries, Coca-Cola Enterprises, RWM 2008, Hammonds LLP and recycle-more.co.uk, who were all on hand to meet the winners and present over the awards they made possible.

Steve Gough, CEO of Valpak Limited, said 'I am delighted with the standard of all awards entries this year. There has been a fantastic range of entries which go to show how many businesses, organisations and young innovators are considering the environment, and are trying to make a difference. This is impressive enough but when you consider the economic pressures many are under it is a true achievement to reconcile these sometimes conflicting forces.'

Guests enjoyed a meal under the museum's beautiful glass ceiling, which was followed by an inspiring and engaging speaker, Professor Alan Cummings, Pro Rector of the Royal College of Art. Winners were announced by BBC presenter, Jeremy Vine, whose wit and ingenuity added to the fun elements of the evening.

The evening provided a wonderful conclusion to a busy and informative day, as the Valpak Member Conference was held earlier in the day and included high profile speakers such as Peter Ainsworth (Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment), the Environment Agency and Green Alliance.

The Conference and the Awards were based on the theme of 'Looking Forward'. Many chose to discuss how business can balance the pressure to remain commercial in a tough economic environment and at the same time meet their environmental obligations. The Environment Agency detailed the many successes of the WEEE regulations and pointed out how many companies have committed to the regulations and that this means the costs of recycling old electrical and electronic equipment has passed from the consumer to the producers and retailers of WEEE. They did however point out that we all have a responsibility to use the facilities and services which are now available to ensure the impact of old electrical and electronic goods is reduced.

A full list of Award winners, runner up and sponsors is provided below:


Young Person's Environmental Innovation - sponsored by British Polythene Industries

Winner - Charlie Artingstoll - Timbertags
Winner - Adam Scott - Beautiful Glass Products

Best Educational Project - sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP

Winner - ABLE Partnership Ltd
Winner - Hyndburn Borough Council

Highly Commended - Banbridge District Council
Highly Commended - East Sussex County Council


Best Partnership - sponsored by RWM 2008

Winner - West Sussex County Council

Highly Commended - Bournemouth Borough Council


Most Innovative Local Authority - sponsored by Coca-Cola Enterprises

Winner - Islington Council

Highly Commended - South Ribble Borough Council


Best Local Authority Employee - sponsored by recycle-more.co.uk

Winner - Imogen Brettell from South Ribble Borough Council


Best Business to Business WEEE Service - sponsored by Hammonds LLP

Winner - Wincanton


Best WEEE Partnership - sponsored by Wincanton

Winner - Tier 1


Best Resource Management Project - sponsored by Barclays Commercial Bank

Winner - Twyford Bathrooms (Member of Sanitec Group)


Valpak Recognition of Excellence

Winner - Jane Bickerstaffe - Director of INCPEN