Thanet’s Responsible Business Champion Speciality Breads Make Final Shortlist for National Award
Margate’s Red Tractor-certified Speciality Breads has made it onto the final shortlist of 16 companies in the running to become the National Responsible Business Champion 2016.
The company, which has seen YOY growth of 30% since the London Olympics and launched a new £3 million bakery last November was nominated by MP Sir Roger Gale for North Thanet and MP Craig MacKinlay for South Thanet.
After becoming Responsible Business Champion for each constituency in April, Speciality Breads have now become one of 16 companies out of an initial 56 that is still left in the running for the much coveted overall award.
The National Responsible Business Champion will be announced on the 6th July and will be presented with the award by the Business Secretary, Sajid Javid, at a reception in Parliament.
Selected due to the positive impact the company has on its staff, the local community and constituencies, Speciality Breads further bolstered its British and local credentials in the last few weeks after switching from olive oil to Kentish Oils’ extra virgin rapeseed oil in all of its ciabatta and focaccia products.
MD Peter Millen comments:
“It’s a huge honour to have been nominated by both Sir Roger Gale and Craig MacKinlay and to get some recognition for the positive impact we have on the local area and community. We’re extremely proud of our Kentish roots, our business, suppliers and most of all our brilliant team who have made success possible. We never thought we would stand much chance when looking at the size of some of the other companies nominated so it’s great to still be in with a chance of winning the top award. Fingers crossed for the 6th July!”
About APCRG Responsible Business Scheme
Set up by the All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Responsibility Group in 2015, the Responsible Business Champions Scheme invites MP’s from across the UK to nominate a Constituency Responsible Business Champion.
A Parliamentary judging panel then considers all MPs’ nominations against national criteria announced each year by the APCRG and selects one company as the overall APCRG National Responsible Business Champion.
The judges and awards are specifically looking for companies which support the local community, invest in healthy workplaces, offer apprenticeships and training to all age groups plus promote equality and diversity in the workplace and monitor suppliers’ actions on these issues.
Speciality Breads
Established in 1996, Speciality Breads provides an ever-growing, premium selection of over 100 freshly-frozen breads, which are hand-sculpted by the company’s master bakers and distributed via wholesalers to pubs, cafes, restaurants and foodservice providers throughout the UK.
Flying the flag for Thanet, Kent and British manufacturing since it won the contract to supply its artisan breads to the Olympics in 2012, Speciality Breads has built a reputation for investing in people with 25 new jobs created in 2015 alone including apprenticeships.
The company started to pay the National Living Wage to ALL of its employees from October last year – 6 months before the Government deadline of April and training and skill development is at the centre of the company’s philosophy.
Speciality Breads has been BRC accredited for 12 years and has just been awarded the highest level (A+) of grade which is a huge achievement for a company of its size. The BRC scheme requires evidence of supplier monitoring, traceability, training and better work practises.
The company is also sponsor of the charity run – Broadstairs Folk Week taking place from the 6th -12th August which supports the South Thanet community while contributing in excess of £2 million to the local economy.
For further information or to stock Speciality Breads range, contact 01843 209442 or visit www.specialitybreads.co.uk
