Pan-European CSR Award kicks off with UK winners

Supermarket chain WM Morrison and product development contractor Pera Innovation have been named as UK winners of the inaugural European CSR Award recognising responsible and sustainable business practice. EDF Energy was recognised as Highly Commended.

The British supermarket chain was particularly praised for its ‘Lets Grow’ campaign where it takes the tried and tested cause related marketing concept -based on collecting vouchers for schools - and linking it to its core business strategy, encouraging children to understand and experience where food comes from.

Winner in the SME section, Pera Innovation, created the Pera Constellation Model in 2008, to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship in young people, with the aim ‘to give life-changing opportunities to individuals, especially those aged 14 – 30 and under-achieving for whatever reason’.

The Judges also gave a Highly Commended Large Company award to EDF Energy, for ‘The Pod’ – a combination of events, campaigns and a website that provides free teaching materials for schools, linked to the curriculum, covering climate science and sustainability. 

Funded by the European Commission, winners in the other participating 27 countries will be announced in Brussels on 25 June. In the UK the awards are led by Business in the Community and Scottish Business in the Community and across Europe by Business in the Community and CSR Europe, with the support of Alliance Boots.