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The West Midlands C+ Carbon Positive Awards 2009

Application pack

Application forms can be downloaded at: www.bitc.org.uk/westmidlands

Deadline for applications: 31 March 2009

Supported by:

The West Midlands C+ Carbon Positive Awards1.0 Introduction

If your business, organisation or community is taking positive action to tackle climate change in the West Midlands, we want to hear from you!

We’re looking for leading examples of low carbon initiatives which will inspire others to take action as we move towards a low carbon economy for our region. Following investment by Advantage West Midlands, companies across the region have already reduced their CO2 emissions by 300 000 tonnes, through initiatives such as carbon reduction and energy efficiency schemes. But we need to do more work – and faster - including finding the new low-carbon pioneers of the future.

That’s why we’re launching The West Midlands C+ Carbon Positive Awards.

If your business or organisation is:-

*Using innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions

*Developing new products and services which offer consumers low carbon solutions

*Developing innovative products, services or prototypes which significantly reduce carbon emissions

*An exemplary micro business undertaking low carbon work

* Engaging with your community to cut carbon emissions and reduce its carbon footprint

Enter the first West Midlands C+ Carbon Positive Awards and win profile and recognition for your initiative. The Awards are organised by Business in the Community (BITC) with the support of Advantage West Midlands (AWM), Sustainability West Midlands (SWM) Midlands Environmental Business Club (MEBC) Birmingham Environmental Partnership and Argent.

Winners will be presented with their awards on 1 May 2009 at the prestigious Prince’s May Day Summit on Climate Change, which will be attended by leading business and sustainability practitioners from across the region. The venue for the event is Eleven Brindleyplace – one of Birmingham’s most environmentally efficient buildings newly constructed by Argent to BREEAM excellent rating.

The event forms part of the Prince’s May Day Network – the UK’s largest group of businesses and organisations committed to taking collaborative action on climate change. The Network was founded by The Prince of Wales in 2007; it now has over 1,350 businesses and organisations signed-up to take action on pledges including measuring their carbon footprint and cutting carbon emissions.

Act now! Deadline for applications is 31 March 2009

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2.0 Award Categories

1. C+ Carbon Positive Footprints For organisations successfully cutting their carbon emissions and internally managing their carbon footprint a. Organisations with 50 employees or moreb. Organisations with fewer than 50 employeesc. Organisations located within the city of Birmingham (any size). The award for this sub-category is supported by the Birmingham Environmental Partnership

2. C+ Carbon Positive Consumer Choices For organisations that have reviewed their products and services and are now offering consumers more low carbon choicesa. 50 employees or moreb. Fewer than 50 employees

3. C+ Carbon Positive Cutting EdgeFor organisations developing innovative carbon cutting solutionsa. 50 employees or moreb. Fewer than 50 employees

4. C+ Carbon Positive Micro For exemplary low carbon businesses with five or fewer employees

5. C+ Carbon Positive Communities For communities that are successfully reducing their carbon footprint

6. C+ Carbon Positive Pioneer 2009The business, organisation or community that is having the greatest impact on the West Midlands – shortlisted from entries

For further information and support in completing your entry please contact: Alison Maxam at Business in the Community on 0121 451 2227 or email [email protected].

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3.0 Conditions of entry

3.1Eligibility: The Awards are open to any business, organisation, partnership or community that is located or operates within the West Midlands region i.e. the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire; the unitary authorities of Herefordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford and Wrekin; and the seven metropolitan districts of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. The award categories have specific entry criteria as follows:-

i. Carbon + Positive Footprints is open to organisations in three sub-categories:- Large organisations (employing 50 or more) Small to medium sized organisations (employing less than 50) Organisations located within the city of Birmingham (any size) *

ii. C+ Carbon Positive Consumer Choices, and C+ Carbon Positive Cutting Edge are open to organisations in the following two sub-categories:-

Large organisations (employing 50 or more) Small to medium sized organisations (employing fewer than 50)

iii. C+ Carbon Positive Micro category is open to any business with five employees or fewer.

iv. C+ Carbon Positive Communities is open to individuals, community groups, charities, voluntary sector organisations, schools, local authorities, hospitals, public agencies and partnerships based in the West Midlands region.

v. The C+ Carbon Positive Pioneer category will be shortlisted from all of the above awards.

3.2 Multiple entries: Applicants can apply for more than one category and any single application may be considered in more than one category (please indicate this on the application form).

3.3 Word count: Entries must not exceed 2,000 words; this is the maximum allowance for words contained in the application form itself (excluding headings). All words beyond the maximum will be deleted by the assessors.

3.4 Closing date: All entries must be received by 5pm on 31 March 2009.

3.5 Announcement of winners Three winners will be announced from each category; one will be chosen as an overall winner and will be announced at the Prince’s May Day Summit on Climate Change on 1 May at Number Eleven, Brindleyplace, Birmingham.

3.6 Entries from other relevant Awards There are some existing local and regional award schemes that also attract carbon positive good practice. Organisers of existing schemes are invited to nominate any finalists or winners they believe deserve consideration by the Carbon Positive award panel. In doing this they will raise awareness of existing award schemes and promote the region’s reputation as one that is working together to lead the way in climate friendly living and working.

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4.0 Assessment guidance and criteria

4.1 Guidance on assessment

Assessors will take into account the carbon hierarchy (see below) for all applications ie. carbon offsetting measures count only after all other measures have been considered.

4.2 Overarching Criteria

Overall the judges will be looking for and will take account of the following criteria:

Evidence that the business, organisation, partnership or community has thought through how the carbon reducing activity would benefit its overall objectives

Evidence that the activity/programme is well managed and resourced

Evidence that many/all of those in the organisation have been encouraged to become involved with the carbon reducing activity

Evidence of the impact of the activity/programme both on the environment and the business.

For further information and support in completing your entry contact: Alison Maxam at Business in the Community on 0121 451 2227 or email [email protected].

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The Carbon Hierarchy:

1. Reduce carbon emissions2. Maximise energy efficiency3. Use clean, renewable sources of energy4. Offset unavoidable emissions using a quality scheme

Continued….

4.3 Category Detail

C+ Carbon Positive Footprints

For organisations successfully cutting their carbon emissions and internally managing their carbon footprint.

Businesses/organisations need to provide evidence of carbon reduction activities in at least one of the following:

Carbon emissions in office buildings/wider premises

Carbon emissions from process improvements

Carbon emissions from travel/transport including staff commuting to/from work

Carbon emissions of employees as a result of internal campaigning and awareness raising

Carbon emissions from purchasing/procurement including measures to actively encourage their suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations.

C+ Carbon Positive Consumer Choices

This award is for organisations that have reviewed their products and services and are now offering consumers more low carbon choices.

Businesses/organisations need to demonstrate how:

It has reviewed its products and services before making a decision to offer more low carbon options (this could include eliminating high carbon options)

Evidence of how these low carbon products and services benefit both the businessand the consumer

C+ Carbon Positive Cutting Edge

This award is for organisations developing innovative carbon cutting solutions.

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Businesses/organisations need to:

Demonstrate innovation in reducing its carbon emissions through the developmentof a product, service or prototype that significantly reduces carbon emissions

Detail the process of developing the above

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C+ Carbon Positive Micro

This category is for exemplary low carbon businesses with five or fewer employees. The business must show evidence of delivering on one or more of the carbon hierarchy aims:

The Carbon Hierarchy:

1. Reduce carbon emissions2. Maximise energy efficiency3. Use clean, renewable sources of energy4. Offset unavoidable emissions using a quality scheme

C+ Carbon Positive Communities

For communities that are successfully reducing their carbon footprint.

Organisations, partnerships and individuals need to:

Demonstrate evidence of positive awareness raising and engagement with thecommunity on reducing carbon emissions.

Show what practical help was made available to the community as well as the community response and how the community has benefitted.

5.0 Application procedure

An application form is included at the end of this application pack . You can download further copies from: www.bitc.org.uk/westmidlands

Please email your completed form to [email protected] or send to: Alison Maxam , Business in the Community, 83 Bournville Lane , Birmingham B30 2HP.

Deadline for applications: 31 March 2009

For further information and support in completing your entry please contact: Alison Maxam on 0121 451 2227 or email [email protected].

Awards Ceremony

1 May 2009, Birmingham

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APPLICATION FORM

Name of company:

Number of employees:

Name of person submitting entry:

Job title of person submitting entry:

Telephone:

Email address:

Postal address:

Award categoryPlease number in order of relevance the category/categories for which you would like to be considered

C+ Carbon Positive Footprints

C+ Carbon Positive Consumer Choices

C+ Carbon Positive Cutting Edge

C+ Carbon Positive Micro

C+ Carbon Positive Communities

Please email your completed form to [email protected] or send to: Alison Maxam , Business in the Community, 83 Bournville Lane , Birmingham B30 2HP.

If you send the application by post, please be sure to still send an image and your logo by email (if possible) as detailed on the final page of the application form.

Entries will be acknowledged by email.Deadline for entries: 31 March 2009

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Description of your organisation (maximum 100 words) Complete the details in relation to your application – i.e. if you are a business unit of a larger company, just provide details of your section of the business – and provide a brief description to help set the context of your entry. Please include location, nature of business/sector, turnover and brief description of your company.

What carbon reducing activity are you doing?

Remember to include: How this carbon reducing activity fits in with your business/organisation’s overall objectives How your activity/programme is resourced Please refer to the selection criteria for each category in section 4.0

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What carbon reducing activity are you doing? (continued)

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What positive impact are you having?Remember to include: The impact your activity/programme is having on your business/organisation/community The impact your activity/programme is having on the environment

Please feel free to attach a maximum of two pieces of supporting information you feel would strengthen your application. Continue on a separate sheet if necessary.

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Additional Information

The information below will be used in associated C+ Carbon Positive Awards publicity detailing all winners and runners up. Please also send an image that represents your C+ Carbon Positive Award application, along with a high resolution logo, to [email protected] with your submission. As a winner or runner up, this image and your logo will profiled in publicity along with your comments below. The information provided below will not count towards your word-count for your application and will not be used in the judging of your application.

Your top tip (max 30 words)

Two short bullet points detailing the most important things you’ve learnt on your low carbon journey so far (max 50 words)

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A quote that may inspire others to act with greater urgency and on a greater scale (max 50 words)

-end of application form-

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