TJX as clean as a whistle

Retailer TJX Europe is named as the leading retailer in UK's Clean Tech Revolution Carbon Trust Innovation Awards. The parent company of TK Maxx, has been awarded for its deployment of new technologies to reduce carbon emissions. As a finalist in

this year's 'Private Sector' category, TJX Europe was praised for its commitment to reducing carbon emissions across its supply chain.

Working with logistics partner DHL, the retailer has cut its carbon footprint through several initiatives including the introduction of electric and hybrid vehicles; use of more aerodynamic, lighter weight delivery trailers; application of telematics to assess driver performance; limiting of truck speeds to improve fuel consumption; and undertaking route planning to reduce 'empty running'. It is also contributing its experience to other retailers and partnering to share delivery routes, eliminating the need for multiple parallel trips to the same location.

This year's nationwide hunt attracted submissions from nearly 250 of the UK's innovators in the development, deployment and use of low carbon technology solutions, across a range of areas from power generation to buildings to transport. The judges assessed each application against a range of strict criteria including genuine innovation, carbon saving potential, novel application and commercial potential.

Commenting on this year's Awards, Tom Delay, Chief Executive, the Carbon Trust said: "As the UK looks to develop and deploy new low carbon solutions to tackle climate change, the breadth and depth of innovation here is deeply encouraging. Whilst many of the companies that we looked displayed innovative approaches to cutting carbon emissions, the winning entries stood out for their industry leadership and potential to be replicated more widely. This shows the fantastic opportunity for organisations to thrive as Britain moves to a low carbon economy."

The awards were judged by a panel of experts including David MacKay, Chief Scientific Advisor of the Department of Energy and Climate Change; Tim Smit, co-founder and Chief Executive of the Eden Project; Damian Carrington, Head of Environment at the Guardian; Chris Mottershead, Vice Principal of Research and Innovations at Kings College London; Dick Strawbridge, 'eco king'; Jeremy Webb, Editor of The New Scientist; and Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust.

Other Innovation Award winners included Artemis Intelligent Power Ltd for the overall winner and Power award, TMO Renewables for the Transport award, CamSemi for the Buildings award and Oxsensis for the Industry award. For the innovative deployment of low carbon technologies, The Commercial Group was named private sector winner and Oxford City Council
the public sector winner.