Boss Design awarded a Green Heroes Wall Shield for their commitment to the environment and education.

2009 saw West Midlands based seating manufacturer, Boss Design, receive a Green Heroes Wall Shield in recognition of their environmental project – The Impact of E’s (the Environment and Education).

The trophy was presented by top botanist and TV personality Professor David Bellamy OBE and Warren Edmondson of Nettoyer Media, aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh, on 13th February.The Shields are awarded annually in recognition of companies, councils and communities carrying out projects that enhance the environment, and who wish to share their experience and knowledge with the world.

In 2008 Boss were awarded a Green Heroes Shield for their recycling initiative; a Unique Afterlife Process to Extend the Manufacturing Process. Through this initiative old Boss products which are deemed to have reached their end-of-life are reused or recycled.

The income generated through this waste management program has since been reinvested by Boss into the dissemination and education of CSR and environmental issues. Last year Boss funded the maintenance of a wind turbine at Roberts Primary School, Environmental Zone. The Zone educates thousands of students each year who are based in the West Midlands, and the turbine acts as a symbol to the children to understand the need to review the use of natural resources.

Boss Design now plan to assist the Zone with a solar project which will aid to educate children in the need for renewable energy. Boss also works with local schools through their ‘School Walk and Talks’ program, enabling young people to visit Boss and gain an insight into the company’s manufacturing practices. Through this program Boss Design are able demonstrate the environmentally positive measures which have been implemented into their manufacturing processes.

As an extension of this, members of the Boss Design team attend careers nights at local schools throughout the district. Not only does Boss aim to encourage local students to consider manufacturing as a possible career route, but they also take the opportunity to promote environmental responsibility through manufacturing.

Virginia Seaward, Head of Operations at Boss Design comments: “Boss Design are extremely passionate about the environment and truly believe that Education and the Environment go hand in hand. The key to sustainability is not only to invest in schemes that preserve the environment, but to educate the community so that the message is extended to future generations.”

The judges commented; “This company has always pushed its environmental efforts to the core of its business, and their Corporate Social Responsibility program is a model of best practice. They still felt that their position in the community could be stronger and have proactively sought links with local schools to assist with their environmental efforts.”

The award-winning project will be featured in the next Green Book, the worlds only work of reference on environmental best practice. Boss also won a Green Apple Award presented in November during a special prize-giving ceremony at the House of Commons.

The Green Apple Awards campaign is run by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-profit organization that recognizes, rewards and promotes environmental best practice around the world.