Allen & York, leaders in their market, specialising in the Built and Natural Environments, Energy, Health & Safety and Waste worldwide, have been acknowledged as ‘First Class’ for great work practices and employee care.

Best Companies Accreditation has been established to acknowledge excellence in the workplace recognizing organisations by Star Status by focusing on workplace engagement in the UK.

2008 saw 653 companies applying for ‘Star Status’ with only 307
achieving success by being awarded a ‘One, Two or Three Star’ Award.

For a Company to take part, there are necessary elements for
eligibility that an organisation must have; been in existence for a
minimum of 3 years, at least 50 full time employees and any mergers or
acquisitions to have been completed by 31st August 2008.

If a Company is suitable, an employee survey and company questionnaire
is carried out to identify workplace performance and best practice
according to eight factors; leadership, management, career progression,
employee work-life balance, team work, Corporate Social Responsibility,
commitment employees have to their Company and employee benefits
offered.

Having been rewarded with a ‘One Star’, Allen & York are now one of the few elite
organisations that drive sustainable business performance through
‘Workplace Engagement’.

“By being accredited annually, we can identify tendencies and
developments within our organisation that we can measure our
performance against. It also gives employees the opportunity to let us
honestly know how they feel towards us as their employer.” Mark Allen,
Managing Director at Allen & York.

The Sunday Times ‘Best Companies to Work For’ is a list of the top 100
Companies in the UK celebrating the best small, mid-size and large
workplaces alongside Best Companies. The list is compiled annually by
Best Companies and published in The Sunday Times which continues to build in
prestige.

“A One Star accreditation, the Best Companies signal of a ‘First Class
Company’, in 2009 has been a great achievement. With great competition
and as the status of the Sunday Times list grows, we just missed out on
being one of the top 100 Companies this year.” Mark Allen continued by
saying, “As staffing partner to many of the high profile names on the
list, going forward we are naturally aiming to be one of the Top 100
next year as it remains our belief that the most valuable asset is our
people.”

Networking Event, Piccadilly House, Manchester
Wednesday 18th February, 6pm – 8.30pm
Find Out more > > >

To
succeed in business, entrepreneurs need to make sure their companies
differentiate themselves from the rest. What are the strategies,
tactics and ideas that can make you stand out from the competitors?
Come and join us on 18 February to hear how award winning entrepreneur
Sandy Lindsay of Tangerine PR developed their USP and got ahead of the
rest.

Networking Event, Piccadilly House, Manchester
Thursday 19th March, 6pm – 8.00pm
Find out more > > >

Come along to network with like-minded entrepreneurs and get some top tips from our guest speaker, Chris Hough, on how to make your business stand out on the web.

Don’t let the Nicaraguan Solidarity Campaign suffer too much from the credit crunch!!

Please support us by buying things from our new sales list. We have so many different things including bird feeders, magic mugs, t-shirts for cyclists, children’s clothes, DVDs of new Latin American films and lots more. Go to www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/shop

Would you, or anyone else you know, like to run in the London Marathon for NSC? If so please get in touch for more details.

Thank you and Happy Christmas
Stella Embliss
nsc@nicaraguasc.org.uk

Green Trading (http://www.greentrading.co.uk) has now exclusively launched its affiliate marketing program on the AffiliateEco Marketing Network (http://www.affiliateeco.com).
The Green Trading program pays out 7% commission on all sales made by via it affiliate links.

At Green Trading, they believe that you do not have to sacrifice style
or luxury when you switch to a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
You can still enjoy the finer things in life if you live responsibly.

They
offer fine organic and ethical goods. These include stylish clothing
for men, women, and children as well as luxury beauty and household
products. They source only products of the highest quality, products
that we would be happy to use ourselves.

They offer
competitively-priced, quality brands that are fairly traded and/or
ethically made. They are fully committed to sourcing products made from
organic or environmentally-friendly materials. As part of their
business ethos they;
• Only environmentally-friendly packaging where possible
• Do their best to keep their delivery charges competitive.
• Take customer service very seriously.
• Do care that you are happy with your shopping experience and the goods that you buy from them.
• Hope you will enjoy shopping with them as much as they have enjoyed selecting these products for you.

Web
sites or companies who are interested in joining the Green
TradingAffiliate Program should go to www.affiliateeco.com and join as
an Affiliate Partner.
Join the Green Trading program today and earn 7% commission.

“In the current economic climate people forget about morals and ethics and only focus on saving money. So ‘cheap’ is more effective than any ethical proposition.”

This was made by a marketing director of a well known brand.

What’s your response to this statement? You can email it to chris@symple.plus.com

Neo has branded Global Climate Network a new initiative launched by the think tank ippr, to address climate change policy issues.

The Brighton-based communications agency was commissioned to create a new visual identity for the international network of independent, progressive research and policy organisations.

The result is a confident brand that conveys a sense of authority and collaboration and has been produced by Neo’s creative team in partnership with the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

Georgina Kyriacou, Publications Manager of Ippr said:

“Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing the world today. We have established the Global Climate Network to promote fair national and international solutions to, and action on, climate change.

“We wanted to create a visual brand that reflects the network’s global relevance and supports its ambition to be a leading international authority in the world of climate change policy. We are confident that the new brand supports that aim.”

The contract with ippr reaffirms Neo’s position as a leading communications agency in the environmental sector. The Global Climate Network joins a long list of environmental clients at Neo, including Greenpeace International, WWF, British Ecological Society and the Energy Savings Trust.

Our Eco Shop opens for ethical Christmas shopping in London

You are warmly invited to join us for organic drinks and vegan canapés to celebrate this fantastic adventure at the launch party on the 19th November 2008 between 6pm and 8pm, at the shop 303 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA. 

For the first time, eco friendly designers and makers are showcasing their innovative and ethical products together in a single shop, providing Christmas shoppers with truly eco-friendly gifts for family, friends and colleagues. Launching on the 19th November and opening this weekend, Our Eco Shop on Westbourne Grove in London, will be open to the public for the next six weeks until Christmas Eve.

This unique and timely venture has been put together by Lisa Harland and Sarah Baulch, who searched high and low to bring a fantastic range of 40 companies under one roof, all of whom share passion and dedication for creating a greener world. See www.ourecoshop.co.uk

Their beautiful selection of outstanding products will easily help us all with our shopping dilemmas this Christmas without compromising on style or impinging on our consciences.

From the electric bicycles of www.50cycles.com to the baby-grows of www.bobelle.co.uk, the recycled textiles of www.revampit.co.uk to the chemical free wallpapers of www.organic-furnishings.co.uk, this is truly the only place to shop this Christmas.

sust-it.net, the first electricals energy efficiency website, up for Green Award!

So a billion dollar budget may have helped Obama secure his place at the Whitehouse, but one energy efficiency website, sust-it.net, has proved that you don’t need big bucks to get noticed. 

The site, which helps people save money and reduce CO2 by ranking electrical goods by their running costs, has won a place in the final of the coveted Green Awards for Creativity in Sustainability.

Despite limited budgets and resources, sust-it.net’s honest, comprehensive comparison service has proved such a hit with the public that they are up against three other companies as Best Green Campaigner at the awards, which are announced on Wednesday 12th November.

Recommended by money saving expert Martin Lewis and listed as one of The Independent’s 101 Really Useful Websites, sust-it.net aims to be the first port of call for everyone buying new electrical appliances, in order to check and compare running costs, by the hour, day or even year.

The site gives detailed information on the energy consumption and running costs of almost 3000 electrical products, from DVD recorders to dishwashers. The data not only helps people save money but importantly, helps combat CO2 emissions which contribute significantly to global warming.

The company also campaigns to encourage manufacturers to develop more energy efficient models, with the sust-it.net website featuring a detailed and passionate blog about energy efficiency and blowing the whistle on the less than efficient manufacturers and models.
“Our aim is to provide consumers with all the facts at their fingertips in order to make informed choices. We all need to be more aware of energy usage in our ‘gadget culture’, and manufacturers must make energy efficiency a key selling point.” Says Ross Lammas, the site’s creator.

Should sust-it.net win the Award this week, they are hoping that this will pave the way for future funding and sponsorship to increase the comparison potential of the site and the number of items reviewed.

Organise the perfect green Christmas this year and save money with the MoreEco green Christmas guide

Christmas is undoubtedly a special time of year though its increased association with excessive consumption – read high CO2 emissions – disturbs those of us who want to enjoy the season but who care about the environment too. But it doesn’t have to be either or. You can achieve both with our 10 step guide to a happy, green Christmas . . .

1. Serve local, healthy and seasonal December foods at your events and xmas parties. Choose vegetables that are in season and do not have to be flown in from abroad. Broccoli, cabbage and onions can all be grown without the aid of harsh chemicals so you can spend your organic pounds elsewhere. Buy loose vegetables rather than packaged from a farmers market or try a vegetable box from Abel & Cole which are packed with the season’s best foodstuffs. Choose an organic Turkey or Goose.

2. Decorating your house can be one of the most enjoyable parts of Xmas. Go for ethically made and traded decorations. Natural Collection, Big Green Smile, Nigel’s Eco Store and Vita Etica all have a great range. Kids really enjoy making their own green decorations out of old scraps of material and leftovers. Try popcorn garlands – which are really fun and cheap to make and scour a woodland floor for fallen pinecones and twigs that are great for decorations!

3. E-mail party invites and Christmas cards rather than post them. There are loads of free Xmas themed party invite e-cards around or alternatively make your own out of scrap and recycled products. If you really want to send cards, choose charity ones or check out these really funky recycled ones. After the big day, make sure your Christmas cards don’t go to waste – take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point.

4. Christmas heating and lighting bills can be huge! Save cash and protect the environment by using energy saving devices such as standby busters and radiator boosters. Don’t forget to turn off the tree lights or better still try these solar powered ones.

5. Use recycled paper, gift bags or even colorful cloth to wrap the Christmas presents and instead of tape, use colorful ribbon to tie up the gifts.

6. Make a green statement this xmas! Send a message to the manufacturers of consumer goods by shopping for & buying only natural, non toxic, eco friendly, organic presents this year. Shop through www.moreeco.com for the largest selection of green retailers on one site and earn rewards and offset carbon at the same time.

7. Which makes a better tree? Artificial or a real one? Simply real ones are as they are great for the environment and can be replanted after use. If replanting isn’t an option, most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes. Contact yours or go to letsrecycle.com. If you need to use an artificial one avoid those made in China or Tawian which have transport costs associated with them. They also can be made with nasty chemicals, metals and plastics which can emit into our homes. Adorn with fair trade and ethical traded decorations or again make your own.

8. How do we give children what they desire but without poisoning our planet? Take electronic toys for instance. There are 900 million batteries used each year in the UK alone and many are in toys. But only 2% of batteries are currently recycled – the rest end up in landfill sites and are poisoning our planet! So what do you do? Choose an eco toy. Green and eco-friendly toys shouldn’t cost the earth so choose from a great selection here that don’t require batteries. Alternatively go for rechargeable batteries which will save you pounds throughout the year.

9. Recycle your unwanted presents. Unfortunately everyone receives at least one unwanted gift at Christmas. Many recycle their unwanted presents to charities. Local hospitals and hospices are often very pleased to receive unwanted smellies to give to patients. Or you could try Nigels Eco Store’s regifting forum or www.freecycle.org and swap them for other people’s unwanted gifts.

10. Don’t go overboard especially in the current climate and remember – reduce, reuse and recycle.

About MoreEco
Make your money go further by becoming a moreeco shopper

moreeco.com, launched today, hosts some of the finest green online retailers whilst rewarding you and the planet for your ethical shopping habits.

moreeco.com has been created and designed to support and offer a choice of green retailers, reward customers who want to shop according to eco principles, and help to sustain the planet.

You can make your money go further … not only is your cash going to small, independent retailers who support a moreeco world, you are also getting more for your money by collecting points that you can redeem for a gift for yourself.

The benefit goes further too, as for every 10 points you earn, moreeco offset 1Kg of CO2 for you, free of charge, through Climate Care.

More consumers want to buy green, ethical products and services, yet it is increasingly hard to find genuinely green retailers amidst companies exploiting the market with greenwash – making environmental claims that do not stack up. moreeco has done all the hard work for you – by researching and selecting genuinely green retailers based on environmental and ethical principles.

“Just a click away, moreeco.com shines a light on the greenest websites so that you can effortlessly make good, moreeco purchasing choices.” says Mark Philip-Sorensen, Founder

Retailers on the website all have green credentials and include a wide range of eco suppliers – from chocolate company Green & Blacks; to renewable energy providers Good Energy; to green insurance companies; to ethical fashion retailer,Adili.com, and ethical and eco department stores – ecotopia and ethicalsuperstore.com. All the featured green retailers are arranged in easy to navigate categories for the moreeco shopper to find what they want with ease.