Reviewing the Cornwall Sustainability Awards
How do we best reward and recognise environmental achievement by businesses and organisations in Cornwall?
Gain has recently completed a review commissioned by Cornwall Council with support from the Tevi programme into the most effective ways of delivering, managing and funding a scheme to encourage and reward environmental performance in Cornwall.
In particular the review looked into the future of the Cornwall Sustainable Awards (CSA) https://www.cornwallsustainabilityawards.org, the programme of competitive awards that has been
successfully delivered by Cornwall Council, with support from other partners, for more than 16 years. The review examined the potential for a fresh approach, aligned to current environmental priorities, whilst recognising resource constraints.
The review began with a desk study to examine the current model and to look at case study examples of different ways of rewarding and recognising businesses and other organisations that are doing good things for environment and sustainability. The case studies included approaches around membership and certification,
business support, systems of accreditation and financial incentivisation/ prizes, ranging from Cornwall based schemes to national and international ventures. Each has a slightly different take on rewards and recognition and provide pointers for an approach in Cornwall.
Case Studies
Green Tourism
Made in Cornwall
Better Business for All
Shell LiveWIRE
B-Corps
British Investment Bureau ISO 14001
The study probed the views of stakeholders, through an online survey and through a series of targeted interviews with high profile business representatives, business owners and environmental leaders in Cornwall. The results of the stakeholder engagement process were very useful, showing strong support for the existing CSA Awards whilst recognising that some reform was timely. The importance of using the scheme to support businesses through the year and providing peer to peer learning and networking was highlighted.
Options examined for a refreshed CSA looked at elements of business support; the case for mainstreaming within the wider business awards landscape in Cornwall; focusing on innovation and financial incentivisation as well as options to improve the existing awards. The final report made recommendations to strengthen the overall impact of the CSA, recognising that change will be a case of evolution rather than revolution. Gain set out a roadmap for the Council with respect to positive improvements to be delivered over time.
The report also examine the current resourcing and management arrangements for the CSA, making the case for a broader management base with strong business representation. We also examined how the awards could be more financially sustainable, utilising a mix of public and private sector resourcing.
To round off this really interesting and thought provoking piece of work, Gain have produced a short term action plan for Cornwall Council and its Partners, which provides a basis for a CSA relaunch in 2020/2021, working with the Council to build some Covid-19 risk planning into this. We’re now really looking forward to the reboot of the awards and extremely excited to see how the awards develop into the future.
