An East Lancashire furniture manufacturer has been recognised as Green Business of the Year at this year’s BIBA awards.

Altham’s The Senator Group was handed the award at the Be Inspired Business Awards, (The BIBAs), which are a celebration of some of the most exciting companies and entrepreneurs based in Lancashire.

The Senator Group was recognised for its unwavering commitment to sustainability that has been embedded into its design, manufacturing and operations for more than four decades.

Years ahead of its time, the company installed a biomass boiler which used waste from its manufacturing to heat its factory.

And 14 years ago, it led the march on sustainability within the furniture industry by setting up its own recycling and remanufacturing service called Sustain, which has now grown into a business in its own right.

The Senator Group has always had a responsible approach to both sourcing materials and its waste management, choosing to reduce and reuse before recycling.

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said: “This prestigious recognition is a testament to The Senator Group’s unwavering commitment towards sustainability and environmental stewardship.

"Throughout its journey, the company has exemplified innovation and best practices, setting a remarkable benchmark for others in its industry.

“This award-winning company demonstrated an emphasis on reducing their carbon footprint, implementing renewable energy solutions, and promoting eco-friendly products and services is truly commendable.

"This forward-thinking commitment has not only enabled it to achieve remarkable business growth, but it has also set a positive example for others to follow.

“In today's world, where climate change poses an imminent threat, the importance of embracing sustainable practices cannot be emphasised enough.

"By acknowledging and celebrating the accomplishments of The Senator Group we aim to inspire a new wave of eco-consciousness across industries, encouraging businesses to adopt more sustainable strategies.

"Its dedication to creating a greener future not only benefits the environment but also its customers, employees, and our society.”

Looking back at the last year, The Senator Group has made impressive progress in its pledge to become carbon net zero at its UK manufacturing sites by 2030.

Last year, its carbon emissions went down by 4.5 per cent, a total reduction of more than 25 per cent since 2019.

Through the installation of solar panels, the company increased its site based renewable energy by an incredible 1,800 per cent and 100 per cent of its waste was diverted from landfill.

Through Sustain, the Group recycled 4,399 tonnes of material which is the equivalent of 28 average houses.

The Senator Group’s passion for the environment is also embodied in its ethos. Led by its environmental steering committee, 900 colleagues engaged in a sustainability roadshow which generated over 250 bright ideas.

Through its commitment to biodiversity, it installed three honeybee hives at one of its sites in Altham and trained a team of its people to be beekeepers.

It also joined forces with the Ribble Rivers Trust to initiate a woodland planting project – working together over five days to plant a staggering 15,000 trees on land owned by the Mustoe family.

As well as actively taking care of its environmental impacts, The Senator Group is as equally as dedicated to giving back to the community and has been a long-standing supporter of many local charities, education providers and social enterprises.