DIY giant received The Queen's Award this week for its work creating a sustainable business and helping people improve the sustainability of their homes.
The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan DCVO JP visited B&Q House in Chandlers Ford on September 24, to officially present the Sustainable Development Award to Martyn Phillips, ceo of B&Q UK & Ireland and B&Q's corporate social responsibility director Matt Sexton. The Mayor of Eastleigh Rupert Kyrle also attended to see the local business honoured.

B&Q has made significant progress in reducing its own emissions by investing in green technologies, educating its employees, and helping people make their homes more sustainable. The award also recognised the retailer's 20 year journey to become the first major UK retailer to only buy timber products from proven responsibly-managed sources.

As well as now stocking more than 15,000 Forest Friendly products, B&Q also provides a range of over 3,500 independently accredited One Planet Home eco products, designed to reduce levels of environmental impact or help people get greener homes. Currently 5.6% of product sales are from the eco-brand.

Already looking ahead to the launch of the Green Deal later this year, B&Q is researching and developing new products and advice to ensure it can offer people the help and advice they need to take advantage of the Government's Green Deal offer to ecovate their homes, it says.

B&Q's Mr Phillips commented: "This award is a huge honour for us and I'm delighted that the team have been recognised for their achievements to date. Our sustainability journey started over 20 years ago when we were challenged about where the timber in our garden furniture came from. Today we monitor over 15,000 timber and paper lines specifying that they come only from proven responsible sources. This has meant making some hard commercial choices along the way but we believe it is the only way to operate.

We have made good progress against other One Planet Home goals with substantial cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, solvent levels in paint and the amount of waste we send to landfill. This is thanks to teams throughout our business, who constantly work to support our One Planet Home goals. We always strive to do the right thing and if we don't always get it right we work hard to put it right.

This award will spur us on in pursuit of our goal of becoming a truly sustainable business."