The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole picked up a trophy at the Southern Sustainability Partnership awards.
The Big Green Awards gala dinner and awards event took place at Compton Acres with the aim of honouring businesses and organisations across the south which make a difference in the fields of corporate sustainability, environmental and social value.
The award for the Social Value Solution or Project category was presented to the Dolphin Shopping Centre in recognition of its work to introduce eco-friendly initiatives for customers and staff to participate in.
Projects have included a sustainable rooftop garden which grows vegetables and plants, as well as housing two beehives which produce honey to be sold in the shopping centre with profits going to Chestnut Nursery.
The Dolphin Shopping Centre also features its own Eco Hub, featuring upcycled furniture and a ‘living wall’, which plays host to a range of free events throughout the year including crafts events, careers fairs and clothing swaps. Community fridges have also been placed in the Eco Hub to allow members of the public to bring in unwanted food to be donated for others to use.
A food bank box is also located outside of Marks and Spencer for the public to donate long-life food and drink to be collected and distributed to needy families who visit Poole Food Bank.
John Grinnell, centre manager for the Dolphin Shopping Centre, said: “We are proud to be presented with the Social Value Solution or Project trophy at the Big Green Awards. We work very hard to give back to the community by supporting green initiatives whenever we can and our Eco Hub has been well-received by shoppers and businesses based across Dorset.”
The Dolphin Shopping Centre only purchases green energy and no waste from the centre is sent to landfill. On average, 75% of all waste is recycled with the centre team aiming to increase this goal to 80%.
For more information, go to Dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk