VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards 2019

The University of Stirling Management School attended the 20th anniversary year of the VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards on 14th November at the Double Tree Hilton in Glasgow.  The annual awards ceremony celebrates businesses in Scotland who are taking significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment.

These awards shine a light on Scotland’s leading green businesses; recognising and rewarding those which are doing outstanding work on behalf of the environment.  They prove it is not just about protecting our planet – it’s good for business too.

Stirling Management School sponsor the small business Scotland award which recognises businesses whose management systems deliver continuous improvement in environmental performance. This category is aimed at businesses that are taking a holistic approach to environmental improvement and can demonstrate the associated economic and social benefits that have been achieved. 

“It was an obvious decision for us to sponsor the award.  The University of Stirling takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously and sustainability responsible management is taught in all programmes.  We’re a management school and we’re surrounded by small and medium sized businesses and we are trying to support and help them in any way that we can and also taking a wider Scottish perspective on this was very important to us.”

Professor George Burt

This is the 5^th year Stirling Management School has sponsored the VIBES awards and the small business Scotland award category.

The winner of this year’s small business Scotland Award went to FINDRA who are based in Edinburgh and produce environmentally friendly outdoor clothing for both males and females.  FINDRA design and retail sustainable, multi-purpose lightweight layers using merino wool and innovative performance fabrics.

FINDRA stood out to the judges due to the fact that:

• They produce knitted products using seamless performance technology which produces high quality garments without seams, generating 30% less waste compared to traditional knitting processes
• 70% of their clothing collection is made using merino wool, a natural fibre which is both renewable and biodegradable
• Their ‘Stroma’ jacket that was launched in the summer is made from recycled coffee grounds and plastic bottles
• The firm offers a ‘repair, re-use and re-love’ service which involves mending products to add to their longevity