St Austell Brewery Scoops Top Sustainability Award for Waste Management Scheme
St Austell Brewery has scooped the Excellence in Waste Management award at this year’s Green Awards UK.
The Excellence in Waste Management award recognises the incredible impact of Operation Segregation – St Austell Brewery’s campaign that’s changing the way its employees segregate and think about waste in its 45 managed pubs across the South West.
From team training to colour-coded bins to food redistribution and smart data dashboards, the business has excelled in the adoption of the scheme to reduce general waste by 80% by 2026 in its managed estate. The ultimate goal is to reach zero waste by 2040. This means that no waste from the business will end up in landfill or incineration without energy recovery.
Sustainability has been embedded in the business for many years, earning St Austell Brewery the Queen’s Award for Sustainability in 2018. The company has continually evolved its approach and commitment to sustainability, which is now reflected in its first major rebrand, unveiled earlier this year.
This rebrand not only introduced a bold new identity, but also marked the launch of its sustainability strategy, ‘Crafting a Brighter Future’. The new strategy is organised around three pillars: Protecting Places, Celebrating Partnerships and Championing People.
The Green Awards UK celebrate organisations across the country that are leading the way in environmental responsibility and sustainable innovation. These awards shine a spotlight on businesses, teams and individuals who are making a tangible impact through creative, forward-thinking approaches to sustainability.
Emily Coon, Sustainability Manager, and Helen Sprason, Managed Pub Area Manager, headed to London on Wednesday 10th September for the ceremony, returning home to Cornwall with the winner’s trophy in hand.
Emily said: “This win shows that our sustainability strategy, Crafting a Brighter Future, is making a real difference – not just in theory, but in everyday actions. This is a big step towards our goal of zero waste by 2040, partnering and collaborating to reduce, recycle and reuse waste – and we’re just getting started.”
Helen, who spearheaded the waste scheme across the managed pub estate and was instrumental in engaging pub teams, said: “This moment took me back to when I was eight years old, watching Blue Peter and being inspired by their green badge launch. That show sparked my passion for the environment. Fast forward to today, and I’m so proud to be part of a team that’s making a real impact. Thank you to Emily and everyone at St Austell Brewery – we’ve done something amazing together.”