A Putney entrepreneur who started an environmentally minded company in her living room has been named in the top five ethical small businesses in the UK.
Following the achievement Jane Burston, who created Carbon Retirement, was invited Downing Street to meet Peter Mandelson and Sir Alan Sugar.
Ms Burston and Sir Alan discussed the future of small ethical business in the UK and both agreed that more should be done by Government to support these small ethical companies.
Her company, set up 18 months ago, buys industrial ‘pollution permits’ and permanently removes them from the carbon trading system.
Jane Burston said: “Being named one of the top five small ethical businesses in the UK is a huge honour, and we’re really proud to have been recognised for our innovation and creativity too.”
Previous to the Downing Street visit, the company had been awarded winner of Smarta.com’s inaugural Smarta 100.
The judging panel for the competition included Deborah Meadon and Bebo founder Michael Birch.
Ms Meadon said: “The Smarta 100 celebrates the best of British business. I was delighted to see ambitious people saving hard and raising finances to turn their ideas into flourishing businesses.”
Ms Burston has also just been named one of the UK's most influential young women by Red Magazine. The list also included Sheridan Smith, the lead from the West End Show Legally Blonde, the Conservative Party’s youngest MP Chloe Smith, and playwright Bola Agbaje.
For more green stories visit greenguardian.co.uk
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