The Green Estate CIC Wins Prestigious National Business Award for Green Innovation
Sheffield-based social enterprise The Green Estate CIC has been honoured with the British Chambers of Commerce Green Innovation Business of the Year Award for their pioneering efforts in creating sustainable, resilient urban spaces that support both nature and people. This award recognises their innovative contributions to biodiversity and urban regeneration through projects that are transforming urban landscapes across the UK.


The Green Estate is best known for its signature Pictorial Meadows; vibrant meadows designed to thrive in challenging urban environments. These meadows, renowned for their resilience and beauty, can be seen at major sites including the Superbloom at the Tower of London, North Lanarkshire’s Mega Flora Project, Manor Fields District Park, and Sheffield’s Grey to Green Scheme. The organisation also plays an important community engagement and biodiversity role in the UK’s largest nature-based Sustainable Urban Drainage System, located in Mansfield.


The story of The Green Estate began in the 1990s with the regeneration of over 42 hectares of industrial heritage landscape in Sheffield’s Manor Castle ward. Collaborating with horticultural experts such as Professors Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough from the University of Sheffield, they transformed neglected urban spaces into Green Flag Award-winning parklands. The Green Estate’s innovations extend to peat-free compost, specialist substrate soils and brownfield site reclamation – establishing the organisation as a national leader in resilient planting and meadows consultancy.


Roz Davies, CEO of The Green Estate, said, ‘We are absolutely delighted to be recognised with this prestigious national award, and to be flying the flag for green innovation, social enterprise, plus Sheffield and South Yorkshire! In the face of unprecedented challenges posed by the climate and ecological crises, the role of green innovation businesses and nature-based solutions are more vital than ever. On behalf of our team of 100+ staff and volunteers, a heartfelt thank you to the British Chambers of Commerce, Octopus Energy for sponsoring, and to the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce for the nomination.’
Harry Bowell, Co-Chair of The Green Estate and Director of Land & Nature at The National Trust, said, ‘Changes in our climate and loss of nature present one of the greatest challenges of our time. We need new thinking and approaches to help our towns and cities adapt. The Green Estate has been driving innovation to find solutions to these problems and I am so proud that its work has been recognised in this way.’
Award Details:
The Green Innovation Business of the Year Award is given to organisations that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability and best practices aimed at making the world a safer and better place. National winners will receive their certificates at a prestigious ceremony at the London Stock Exchange on 20 November 2024. The event will culminate in a Winner of Winners Award announcement, followed by a celebratory dinner at a restaurant in St. Paul’s.
For further information, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0114 276 2828
Website: www.greenestate.org | www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk
