Severn Trent has been crowned as Biodiversity Champion at the 2022 Responsible Business Awards for its £1.2 billion Great Big Nature Boost (GBNB) project, one of the biggest nature projects across the UK.

The company announced its GBNB plans in September 2020, committing to improve biodiversity across the Midlands through the revival of 12,000 acres of land (an area bigger than the size of Gloucester), plant 1.3 million trees and restore 2,000 km of rivers across the Severn Trent region by 2027.

Jason Rogers, head of water quality and environment at Severn Trent, said: “For us, the natural environment isn’t a bolt-on, it is a fundamental part of our core business, and the ultimate supplier of our ‘product’ – water. We know that when we take care of the natural environment, we take care of our water and the wellbeing of our community.

The award judges were particularly impressed with Severn Trent’s work with partners and third-party collaborators, who not only benefit from the work, but are also helping to go above and beyond original plans and Severn Trent was described as ‘An outright winner for this category’.

Severn Trent has joined forces with the RSPB, National Trust, Moors for the Future Partnership, the Rivers Trust, National Forest, regional Wildlife Trusts and other conservation groups.

In addition to Severn Trent’s success with GBNB, in March 2022, the company announced its Get River Positive Plan: five pledges to transform river water quality across their region. Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the company will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers.  The Get River Positive plan is underpinned by five key pledges that set a framework for water companies to lead the charge in protecting and revitalising rivers.

For more information on the Great Big Nature Boost, click here.