3M, which has a manufacturing site at Aycliffe, has won its third annual award in a row from the national organisation Business in the Community (BITC).
The BITC’s Responsible Business Awards is the UK’s longest-running and most respected awards scheme, recognising businesses that are making a positive difference to society and the environment.
3M has been presented with a Big Tick award in the Marketplace Sustainability Leadership category, bringing a hat-trick of wins for the diversified technology company.
BITC chief executive Stephen Howard said: “The awards celebrate the very best of business and raise awareness of business as a powerful force for good.
“We congratulate 3M for playing its part in creating a fairer society and more sustainable future and demonstrating that business has a greater purpose then simply generating profit.”
Winning the award has highlighted how sustainability is a way of life for 3M and recognises the company’s success with energy saving and waste reduction programmes at its UK sites.
The award also recognises the efforts that the company and its employees put into environmental and other projects within the community through the 3Mgives volunteering programme. This gives every full-time employee the opportunity to carry out a day’s volunteering in the community on company time.
3M is an active supporter of the national Your Life campaign to encourage greater participation among women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) career choices. A number of its employees act as STEM ambassadors to help foster young interest in the subjects in local schools and colleges.
Managing director Christiane Gruen commented: “Sustainability is fundamental to 3M’s business philosophy and we are building on this by accelerating the integration of sustainability into business strategies across the company.
“Our employees also play an active role volunteering in the community and engaging young people in STEM activities and I’m delighted that these efforts have been recognised nationally by BITC.”

Big Tick 3M