Davies gains recognition for its growing environmental activities

Davies Veterinary Specialists has won two national awards at the Investors in the Environment (iiE) Awards against competition from non-veterinary UK business sectors.

The small animal referral practice says it has achieved a first for the profession by winning Sustainability Influencer Business of the Year 2020. The practice’s green pioneer Ellie West was also recognised as Sustainability Influencer Individual of the Year.

iiE is an external environmental accreditation scheme created to help businesses assess and reduce their environmental impact by implementing a management system. It includes audit criteria and reduction targets, followed by an ongoing auditing process.

“Winning these awards has been an exceptional team effort across the business, driven by our highly motivated and enthusiastic Green Group, led by Rachel Evans,” said managing director Tim Richardson. “The determination of everyone to keep pushing for better and better sustainability performance is admirable and I am proud to be a part of such an amazing team. Special congratulations to Ellie, who initiated the project back in 2017 and strives constantly to improve against the iiE criteria.”

Davies also sponsored the Natural Environment Champion awards, won by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

European specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia Sarah Gibson hosted an on-site seminar titled ‘Improving anaesthesia; cutting carbon costs,’ while head of internal medicine Ian Battersby joined West to conduct a ‘sustainability special’.

Colleagues are encouraged to participate in TerraCycling, with a variety of packaging saved from landfill in the period from June 2020. Since collections for TerraCycle began in 2019, Davies has sent more than £100 in donations to the charities of the year Dogs on the Streets and the Dogs Trust. In the second half of 2019, waste was reduced by 20 per cent compared to the first half of the year.

In addition, this year, parent company Mars recognised Davies’ sustainability achievements by making a donation of £5,000 to UK charities Medical Detection Dogs and Stray Cat Rescue.

Picture: The Davies team, taken before COVID-19.

Published on page 17 of the November 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.