St Austell Brewery’s ambition to become one of the UK’s greenest brewing and pub companies received a boost this week when it was named the greenest business in Cornwall. 

The Brewery won the Best Managed Large Business category and then went on to scoop the award for Overall Winner in the 2009 Cornwall Sustainability Awards. 

The awards recognised the “exceptional lengths” the Brewery has gone to in managing its own environmental impacts and supporting the local community. 

As one of Cornwall’s oldest business, winning the top title is a major achievement and is further evidence of the lengths the Brewery has gone to in an attempt to improving its already impressive environmental record. 

Now in its seventh year The Cornwall Sustainability Awards is a key event for the county and celebrates the environmental achievements of the region’s business community. 

James Staughton, managing director of St Austell Brewery said: “St Austell Brewery is one of the region’s oldest companies and through innovation we have managed to remain at the top of our game for more than a century and a half. 

“Operating sustainably is not only essential for our future but for all businesses and we are therefore delighted to be recognised for this as well as our voluntary work, which keeps our ties with the local South West community strong.” 

James added: “The Brewery’s wide-ranging environmental policy touches all parts of our business. For example, over the past 12 months we installed our own bottling line which has cut emissions in transporting our beer and also enabled us to switch to new 30% lighter weight bottles; we insulated all the lofts in our managed estate and started rolling out lighting “make-overs” to reduce energy usage in all houses; we also offer our employees free “hippos” & “hogs” to be used in their own homes to help them reduce domestic water usage.” 

Environmentalist and TV presenter Dick Strawbridge, who returned to present the 2009 awards again this year as well as being on the judging panel said: “I was delighted to give this award to St Austell Brewery not only because I like the occasional pint of Tribute but because of the level of work that goes into making breweries sustainable and in St Austell Brewery’s case, supporting the local community through its Charitable Trust Fund.” 

“It was great to see such high standards and innovation amongst all the contestants and winners this year. I realise only too well that ‘being green’ takes belief, planning and investment but the rewards are great not just environmentally but economically, so today plays a key part in the process of encouraging people along their eco-journey.”