THE CO-OPERATIVE SIGNS AS TITLE SPONSOR OF PEA AWARDS
13th January 2011
London
The Co-operative has signed as title sponsor of the inaugural People and Environment Achievement Awards (PEA Awards), which will take place on 2nd March 2011 in London.
The event will be known as the ’PEA Awards, in association with The Co-operative’. As part of the deal The Co-operative will also be sponsoring the ‘Responsible Travel Award’, which will be presented by The Co-operative CEO Peter Marks on the night.
Launched to celebrate practical, engaging initiatives taking place in response to sustainability challenges, the PEA Awards are open to individuals or groups who have made a difference in the community, or shown inspiration, innovation and perseverance in their various sectors.
Liz Matkin, The Co-operative’s Head of Sponsorship, said, “We are thrilled to be involved with the first ever PEA Awards as we feel that the initiative perfectly mirrors our brand values and commitment to improving the community in which we live. We hope that through our involvement we can help to raise awareness of green issues and promote sustainability across the retail and business worlds.”
Jarvis Smith, Founder of the PEA Awards and publisher of Green magazine, added “Consumerism is out of control in the UK but with businesses like The Co-operative making it easier for people to make ethical choices, we hope that this will decline in years to come. Partnering with The Co-operative is perfect for the PEA Awards as we both share the same ethics and values towards improving the world we live in”.
The PEA Awards are being launched by the publishers of the quarterly publication National Geographic Green, in conjunction with Evergreen Events. The awards ceremony will be hosted by television presenter Liz Bonnin on 2nd March 2011 at the stunning National Geographic store in London’s Regent Street.
Tony Juniper, leading environmentalist and Chair of the Judging panel says: “Action for more sustainable living is often seen as the domain of large companies, governments and global organisations. It is less often that we celebrate the great work being undertaken by individuals and small groups working at many different levels across society. I hope that the PEA Awards can close this gap by highlighting some of the many inspiring initiatives that are underway across the UK and, in so doing, will encourage many more people to get involved in bringing about the changes we so urgently need. The values championed by The Co-operative movement make them an ideal sponsor and I am delighted they have decided to back the PEA Awards.”
PEA Award judges include National Geographic Green’s Editor and Chair of the judging panel, Tony Juniper along with Josephine Fairley, co-founder of Green and Blacks; Richard Hammond, founder of greentraveller.co.uk; Rebecca Hill, international marketing director of National Geographic; Leo Johnson, co-Founder of Sustainable Finance and organic entrepreneur Jo Wood.
-ENDS-
For further information:
Maryann Stevens – 0845 241 8111/ ms@generatesponsorship.com
Victoria Heiden – 0845 241 8111/ vh@generatesponsorship.com
Notes to Editors
The PEA Awards recognise excellence in 10 categories:
Arts & Music
Best Energy Saving Idea
Best Earth Saving Idea
Business Person of the Year
Community Award
Campaigner of the Year
Entrepreneur of the Year
Public Sector Award
Sustainability in Sport
Responsible Travel
Nominations close on 14th January.
Enter online or download a form from www.peaawards.com
The Co-operative
The Co-operative Group stands apart from other major retailers in the UK as a business which is owned, not by a small group of shareholders, but by more than five million consumers. With core interests in food, financial services, travel, pharmacy, funerals and farms, it has an annual turnover of £14 billion, employs 123,000 staff and operates over 5,000 retail trading outlets handling more than 20 million weekly transactions.
Following the acquisition of the Somerfield supermarket chain in March 2009, The Co-operative Food is the fifth largest food retailer. The Co-operative Financial Services is one of the largest and most diversified financial mutual businesses, operating The Co-operative Bank, The Co-operative Insurance and Britannia.