Rabbie’s Small Group Tours has scooped an award at the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards 2011.
The Edinburgh-based business won the Changing Behaviour Award at the ceremony held at The Hub in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 29 November.
The prestigious awards recognise the commitment, action and achievement of Scottish companies in reducing their impact on the environment.
Rabbie’s offers an award-winning small group tour programme to Scotland and the North of England, departing from Edinburgh and Glasgow. New tours of Ireland were also introduced earlier this year. The company aims to minimise the environmental ‘footprint’ left by its customers, and maximises the economic and social benefits to the local communities it visits.
Robin Worsnop, Chief Executive of Rabbie’s Small Group Tours, said: “It is an honour to win a VIBES Award in the Changing Behaviour category. This is great recognition for our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. Our commitment to this not only helps support the environment; it helps deliver on our bottom line. We now aim to build on our journey to greater sustainability.”
Gillian Bruce, VIBES Chair said: “The VIBES Awards recognise businesses which have taken significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment. We would like to congratulate each of the winning and shortlisted companies.
“Rabbie’s Small Group Tours impressed the judges with their innovation, dedication and support for sustainable practices while also protecting their bottom line. We hope that other Scottish businesses from Edinburgh and across the country will follow their example and achieve their environmental goals.”
The Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency team sponsored this year’s VIBES Energy Award category.
Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Fergus Ewing said: “I want to congratulate each of this year’s winners and finalists on their green achievements. These businesses are a source of inspiration to others in Edinburgh and across the country and we hope more companies will follow their lead by developing and using energy efficient solutions, implementing energy saving measures and contributing to a greener Scotland.”
VIBES winners are eligible to enter the European Business Awards for the Environment, which have been running since 1987 and attract around 200 entries per year from the most environmentally friendly firms across the continent. VIBES is the only award programme in Scotland that feeds in to these prestigious awards.