International green award is won by Peterborough's Queensgate shopping centre

Peterborough's Queensgate shopping centre has just won an international award for its commitment to caring for its staff.
Collecting the award are Queensgate director Mark Broadhead, left, and Carol Wakelin, Environmental Manager.Collecting the award are Queensgate director Mark Broadhead, left, and Carol Wakelin, Environmental Manager.
Collecting the award are Queensgate director Mark Broadhead, left, and Carol Wakelin, Environmental Manager.

The centre has been presented with the prestigious Green Apple Award for its innovative approach to green practices and creating a healthier workplace.

It comes after a year in which the centre, already well known for its corporate social responsibility work, has focused on creating a healthier workplace by enhancing staff wellbeing, self-esteem, companionship and confidence.

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This has ranged from organising volunteering days off-site to give staff the ‘feel-good’ factor, to arranging a Health MOT Programme that’s benefited 90 colleagues, and bringing Samaritans on-site to chat to staff members who might need some support.

The centre has also arranged discounted gym memberships, exclusive shopping discounts, lunchtime yoga and reflexology sessions, and has committed to improving communication, involvement and collaboration at all levels.

Staff have been taken to work-related exhibitions, sent on training, consulted on the centre’s selected Charity of the Year and are all part of a recognition programme through which colleagues can nominate each other to receive prizes for going above and beyond.

Centre bosses say the changes have led to incredible benefits including improved staff attendance, efficiency, customer service and commitment and they have led to reviews in ways of working and increased community support.

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Carol Wakelin, the centre's Environmental Manager, said: “We are so proud to have received the Green Apple Award.

"All of the above have been provided with no additional financial expenditure, only costing some organisational time, support and room space.

"The whole project has been about people, and we are delighted that it has been recognised in these prestigious awards.”

The Green Apple Environment Awards were established in 1994 as an annual campaign to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.

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