Andel scoops three sustainability awards in as many months

The Yorkshire SME scooped the Sustainable/ Ethical Manufacturing award at Made in Sheffield recently, completing the hattrick, after the company also won the Sustainable/ Ethical Manufacturer award at Insider's 2024 Made in Yorkshire Awards last month and the Sustainability Award at the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards at the end of last year.

Now Andel goes forward with two entries into the Made in UK final awards next month.

Headquartered in Barnsley, Andel specialises in water, oil and gas leak detection systems to protect the built and natural environment. The Made in Sheffield Awards judges praised Andel's multi-faceted approach to sustainability that other businesses can be inspired by.

Made in Yorkshire judges noted that Andel is not only working to reduce its environmental impact by investing in its facilities, but has also demonstrated a commitment to the wellbeing of its workforce and the local community, and supports charitable causes overseas.

At the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards 2023, Andel received the award as recognition of the huge commitment it has made in reducing its environmental impact in its journey to net zero.

The Barnsley-based global environmental protection specialist has more than 30 years of experience in leak detection, pollution prevention and flood defence and an impressive customer base that includes the Houses of Parliament, The Pentagon, Hong Kong International Airport and Google, and took the bold decision in 2020 to become Net Zero by 2025.

In June 2022 the company took on a Net Zero and Sustainability Coordinator to facilitate and oversee the initiatives required to meet the target.

Commercial Director, Mark Harris, said: “It’s a hat-trick”! Three entered and three won – it must be a first! Either way, we are delighted.

“We won these awards purely based on the hard work and dedication of all our employees so it is great that their work is recognised by these awards.

“Since committing to Net Zero by 2025, we have implemented numerous changes to the business such as its pledge to the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, receiving ‘achiever’ category due to the efforts and strategies that have been put in place.

“In 2021 we moved our head office to Dodworth Business Park to premises with a much higher EPC rating and has switched utility provider to a renewable energy provider for both electricity and gas, saving 80,00KWh of fossil fuel per year.

“In 2022 we changed refuse collection to a company that could weigh the amount of waste and include recycling and food as a waste stream which meant 99.6% of our waste has been diverted from landfills.”

“In 2023, we created a wildflower meadow at our head office on the busy A628. The meadow has reduced ongoing ground maintenance costs, improved biodiversity, provided a wildlife habitat, brightened up an industrial estate, sequestered carbon in the soil and allowed staff to engage in a rewarding environmental project.

“Over the past year we have also replaced our fleet of vehicles with electric cars, installed EV chargers at head office for all staff, and reduced our fossil fuel fleet by 80% and have plans to de-carbonise the remaining fleet and reduce its size, reducing its carbon footprint even further.

“I think that this just shows how small changes have far-reaching impacts. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what more we can do in our bid to save our planet for now and future generations.”