The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (RSA) has re-launched its Environmental and Sustainable Awards Forum. The Forum is funded by Defra to accredit environmental awards to objective standards.

There are 10 environmental awards, which are accredited by the RSA and help meet sustainability challenges through innovation and excellence.  The Forum promotes the best winners of national environmental awards for the biennial European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE).  

Dan Norris, Minister for Environment said:

“Environmental awards are an important mechanism to encourage business and society to meet the UK’s sustainable development and climate change objectives.

“Award schemes can provide a very useful way of stimulating improved environmental performance by organisations and showcasing good examples of innovation and best practice – but for awards to have true value, it is vital to ensure independent standards are met.

“The 10 award schemes have been independently accredited by the Forum and are of high quality. I would encourage other award schemes to seek RSA accreditation, as well as encouraging more companies to seek recognition for their environmental performance.”

RSA Chief Executive Matthew Taylor said:

"The launch of the newly designed accreditation scheme will provide a benchmark for excellence and help build public trust in the quality of green award schemes across the UK. The RSA is proud to be working in partnership with Defra in order to raise standards amongst our green awards and confront the challenges of climate change and global warming."   

Notes for editors

1. The Forum was originally set up by RSA Fellows who pooled their professional experience of environmental issues 10 years ago.  The RSA is funded by Defra to run the accreditation scheme for environmental awards.  Further details of the accreditation scheme can be found on http://www.rsaaccreditation.org

2. The European Business Awards for the Environment play a crucial role in demonstrating progress on environmental and sustainable development issues worldwide. The Awards are held every two years and are organised by the European Commission.  The next European Award Event will be in June 2010. There will be a UK event to announce the UK finalists for the European Awards in March 2010.

3. Defra funded the RSA to establish a database to register the various schemes, of which there are around 400 in the UK that reward progress in environmental and sustainable development across many disciplines.

4. The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) seeks to develop and promote new ways of thinking about human fulfilment and social progress.  Building on its 250-year history, the RSA undertakes influential and varied research projects and hosts the UK’s most ambitious free lecture series. It provides a platform for ideas and debate, a programme of innovative research and development, and through the activities of the RSA’s 27,000 strong Fellowship and an international network of influencers and innovators from every field and background.