Member Article

The Lakes Free Range Egg Company wins at the 20th annual Responsible Business Awards

Sarah Dunning OBE, Chief Executive of Westmorland Ltd also named The Prince’s Ambassador for the North West at highly respected awards evening

Penrith based business, The Lakes Free Range Egg Company, is celebrating today after being crowned a winner at one of the most prestigious corporate awards programmes, The Responsible Business Awards, run by the charity Business in the Community (BITC).

The family-run farm was named the SME Winner of the Defra Environmental Leadership category, having boosted the production of organic, free range eggs by 33% in the last four years. By planting over 157,000 trees across more than 50 farms and 6,000 acres, The Lakes has encouraged hens to lay eggs, as well as helping indigenous wildlife return to farms with disadvantaged land.

Today’s news coincides with the announcement that Sarah Dunning OBE, Chief Executive of Westmorland Ltd, has been appointed by HRH The Prince’s Ambassador as the Prince’s Ambassador for the North West.

Each year, HRH personally appoints an inspirational business figure in each of the UK’s regions to represent the responsible business movement and lead other businesses to take action to address key issues. Ambassadors are chosen for their personal impact and for demonstrating leadership within their own business.

In a recorded video, played to guests at the Awards Gala at the Royal Albert Hall in London last night, HRH the Prince of Wales said: “Over the years my Ambassadors have shown that with the right leadership, creativity and persuasive determination, people can work together to solve problems, to meet challenges and to create constructive change.

“There is certainly no shortage of challenges needing their talents and vision. It still remains the case that in many communities opportunities and resources are not accessible to all. In such a situation business has a unique and essential role to play in creating resilient communities where talent can be discovered, incubated and developed.”

Sarah started running the family business in 2005, after several years of working in the City for NM Rothschild and as a Headhunter. The Westmorland services continue to innovate in the industry by championing locality, through the homemade food served in their cafés, farmshops and community involvement. Sarah is the champion of the business’ values, ensuring that that they are the compass for everything the business undertakes.

On her appointment, Sarah said: “I’m delighted to become a Prince’s ambassador. The Westmorland Family share the view wholeheartedly that what is good for business should also be good for community. I’m very much looking forward to this role and to supporting Business in the Community in its important work.”

The headline sponsors of the 2017 Responsible Business Awards are Aviva, Barclays, Experian, Fujitsu, Hogan Lovells, UBS, Unilever, The Unipart Group For more information and a full list of all winners, visit www.bitc.org.uk/awards and follow @BITC on Twitter #BITCawards.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Business in the Community .