Anglian Water is today celebrating receiving a Queen's Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development - the UK's highest accolade to celebrate business success - for a second time.

The award, which is announced on the Queen's birthday, was awarded to the water company for demonstrating excellent positive impacts across a number of initiatives such as reducing carbon and improving water quality, as well as continuing to put social and environmental prosperity for local communities at the heart of all it does.

The company first received a Queen's Award in 2015 in recognition of the development of its ‘Love Every Drop' strategy since its inception in 2010. The strategy solidified the company's commitment to sustainability across the whole business, from the water it supplies to the recycling of used water before it's returned to the environment.

The Queen's Award says Anglian Water has demonstrated clear sustainability leadership, by adopting an exemplary approach in formalising its commitment to wider social purpose through amendments to its Articles of Association - the legal documents that underpin how the business is run. The citation continues:

“It is awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development because it has demonstrated excellent positive impacts across a number of initiatives such as reducing carbon and improving water quality, through innovation, collaboration and education.”

Two weeks ago, the company demonstrated its commitment by launching its £1million ‘Positive Difference Fund' alongside a whole package of measures to support local communities and its employees with the fight against coronavirus.

Alongside this, as part of its longstanding membership with Business in the Community, the company has also been instrumental in setting up a response network - bringing together charities and community groups who have urgent needs in the current crisis, with businesses who may be able to offer support.

Peter Simpson, Anglian Water's Chief Executive, said:

"Today we're humbled and honoured that our approach, the way we do business, and the hard work of all our people has been recognised with a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

"Now, with the backdrop of COVID19, the critical nature of our work has never been clearer; keeping taps running, toilets flushing and drains clear - providing the essential services our customers need, so they can use them without a second thought. But we want to go further. Our business is built on the communities it serves, so it's absolutely right we extend our support back to them during this time of need.

"I'm proud Anglian Water has received this award for a second time. It's testament to everyone who works for us, within our business and throughout our supply chain. Every day they put customers, communities and the environment at the heart of their thinking."

Now in its 54th year, the Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the Queen's Awards emblem for the next five years.