Harwich Haven Authority wins international environment and sustainability award

23 November 2023

Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) is delighted to announce that they have been awarded a prestigious International Gold Green Apple Environment Award in recognition of the environment and sustainability best practice that was demonstrated through their recent Sustainability Week initiative.

The Green Apple Environment Awards are part of an annual international campaign established by The Green Organisation, an independent, not-for-profit, non-political environment group. Established in 1994 they recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.

As one of the UK’s largest trust ports and the statutory harbour authority responsible for the conservancy of one of the UK’s most important trade gateways, HHA has recently launched (in 2023) an Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy – Navigating Towards a Sustainable Future – to further cement their commitment to environment and sustainability best practices.

To support the launch of the ESG Strategy, which was compiled in conjunction with relevant stakeholders with an interest in the Haven, HHA held a Sustainability Week across their organisation to raise awareness and embed the key Pillars of the Strategy – Environment, Community and Governance – with their employees.

Marcus Pearson, Interim ESG Director, Harwich Haven Authority, said: “To be up against so many other great nominations and win this prestigious Award so early in our ESG Strategy journey is testament to the hard work that teams across HHA put into our Sustainability Week initiative.

“Central to the development and roll out of our ESG Strategy was to ensure that our employees were onboard with our plans from the very start, which we achieved by facilitating interactive workshops that both encouraged engagement and conversations related to our planned activities.

“We have achieved so much in a short time against the core themes of the Strategy that include climate resilience, biodiversity, waste reduction, targeting social value benefits, strengthening local partnership and bolstering our charitable giving programme.”

Green Apple Award judges commented: “Harwich Haven Authority engaged, educated, and empowered employees through an internal Sustainability Week. The week emphasised sustainability’s importance at work and home, launching the Authority’s ESG Strategy. Workshops with employees covering UNSDG’s portrayed awareness of local, low-carbon benefits and empowered employees for sustainable initiatives.“