St Austell Brewery scoops top sustainability award for waste management scheme
- Guild Secretary
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
St Austell Brewery has scooped the Excellence in Waste Management award at this year’s Green Awards UK.
The Excellence in Waste Management award recognises the incredible impact of Operation Segregation – St Austell Brewery’s campaign that’s changing the way its employees segregate and think about waste in its 45 managed pubs across the South West.
From team training to colour-coded bins to food redistribution and smart data dashboards, the business has excelled in the adoption of the scheme to reduce general waste by 80% by 2026 in its managed estate. The ultimate goal is to reach zero waste by 2040. This means that no waste from the business will end up in landfill or incineration without energy recovery.
Sustainability has been embedded in the business for many years, earning St Austell Brewery the Queen’s Award for Sustainability in 2018. The company has continually evolved its approach and commitment to sustainability, which is now reflected in its first major rebrand, unveiled earlier this year.
This rebrand not only introduced a bold new identity, but also marked the launch of its sustainability strategy, ‘Crafting a Brighter Future’. The new strategy is organised around three pillars: Protecting Places, Celebrating Partnerships and Championing People.
The Green Awards UK celebrate organisations across the country that are leading the way in environmental responsibility and sustainable innovation. These awards shine a spotlight on businesses, teams and individuals who are making a tangible impact through creative, forward-thinking approaches to sustainability.
Emily Coon, Sustainability Manager, and Helen Sprason, Managed Pub Area Manager, headed to London on Wednesday 10th September for the ceremony, returning home to Cornwall with the winner’s trophy in hand.
Emily said: “This win shows that our sustainability strategy, Crafting a Brighter Future, is making a real difference - not just in theory, but in everyday actions. This is a big step towards our goal of zero waste by 2040, partnering and collaborating to reduce, recycle and reuse waste - and we’re just getting started.”
Helen, who spearheaded the waste scheme across the managed pub estate and was instrumental in engaging pub teams, said: “This moment took me back to when I was eight years old, watching Blue Peter and being inspired by their green badge launch. That show sparked my passion for the environment. Fast forward to today, and I’m so proud to be part of a team that’s making a real impact. Thank you to Emily and everyone at St Austell Brewery - we’ve done something amazing together.”
Find out more about St Austell Brewery’s sustainability approach here.
ENDS
About St Austell Brewery
Independent, family-owned St Austell Brewery was established in Cornwall in 1851.
Fast forward 174 years, and the company’s range of award-winning beers - including Tribute pale ale, Proper Job IPA and korev lager - are available in pubs and supermarkets nationwide.
Hot on the heels of the rebrand of its much-loved Proper Job IPA in March 2024 and the launch of its first ever no/low beer in Proper Job 0.5% in October 2024, St Austell Brewery took another huge step in reimagining its identity and values for generations to come.
In June 2025, the business revealed its evolved brand story - a new brand identity, values, and an evolved sustainability plan - taking pride in its rich history whilst embracing a commitment to its ambitions for the future.
The business owns over 160 pubs and inns across the West Country - including managed houses and tenancies.
It also operates two breweries, in St Austell and Warmley, near Bath (Hare Brewery), having acquired fellow West Country brewer, Bath Ales in 2016, as well as holding a minority share in Harbour Brewing Company.
With a network of six distribution centres across the West Country - from St Columb to Wimborne - the company is the leading drinks wholesale company in the South West.
For more information, see https://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/ or contact:
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