It was the CREST21 Business Awards big reveal this week when judges named the the shortlist of businesses to reach the finalists’ phase of Surrey’s first sustainable business awards.
With the awards event taking place on 20 May, the tension is building over who will be the judges’ choice of 2021 Sustainability Hero and the winners in the five categories Resilience in Crisis, Transforming Food, Going Circular, Efficiency Champion and Sustainability Impact.
THE CREST21 BUSINESS AWARDS SHORTLIST:
- Efficiency Champion: Wey Estates t/a Tannery Studios, Mesh Energy, Pennypot Day Nursery
- Transforming Food: Binary Botanicals, Eden Greens – Urban Farm, HOP
- Going Circular: Silent Pool Distillers, Instantswim, Bare & Fair
- Sustainability Impact: Mesh Energy, Red Box, Pennypot Nursery
- Resilience in Crisis: Silent Pool Distillers, Plant Passion, Surrey Care Trust
Businesses based or operating across Surrey entered ahead of the 20 March deadline and the judges have reported facing a tougher than expected challenge due to the high quality of entries.
The event, presented by the Woking News & Mail in association with the University of Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability, is being delivered as a hybrid event from The Lightbox in Woking between 12pm to 2.30pm on Thursday 20 May.
A surprise result in the award finalists came from two very different businesses who were both shortlisted in the same two categories. Mesh, an independent energy consultancy, and Pennypot Day Nursery, for children aged six weeks to five years, were both selected in Sustainability Impact as well as Efficiency Champion categories.
Headline Sponsor Surrey County Council’s Environment Commissioning Group Manager, Katie Sargent, was among the six judges and said: “I was so impressed with the calibre of entries, it was really great to see all of the different initiatives that local businesses have been undertaking in order to reduce their impact on the environment.”
Cllr Kevin Davis, who has held the portfolio for the Environment and Promoting the Local “delighted” by the many quality entries said: “With such outstanding and innovative businesses operating locally, I strongly believe we will come back from the Covid crisis, both better environmentally, and also stronger economically.”
Fellow judge Sarah Butcher representing Surrey Chambers of Commerce said one word described to entries calibre said: “I felt privileged to be on the judging panel at these exciting new awards and to have an insight into the incredible businesses we have in Surrey. As the inaugural year for the CREST21 Awards I see this event going from strength to strength and becoming a key date in the business calendar, it has been such a pleasure to support these awards.”
The awards are free to attend, and if you want to find out who the winners are sign up to attend the virtual presentation of the CREST 21 awards taking place between 12pm and 2.30pm on Thursday 20 May .