The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole has been recognised for its environmental efforts and has been announced as a winner at the International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice, competing against more than 500 other nominations.
The award recognises that the Dolphin Shopping Centre is committed to continually improving its environmental performance and moving towards the best practices in corporate sustainability.
Representatives from the centre will now attend an award ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in November.
The Dolphin Shopping Centre’s winning entry focused on its use of a ‘chemical free’ cleaning solution – the Orbio System – which cleans and sanitizes surfaces leaving it 99 per cent germ free.
The Dolphin Centre is also considered an industry leader after becoming the first shopping centre in Great Britain to install the Orbio System.
The innovative cleaning product is connected to the water supply where it is pumped through a water softening system and salt is added. It provides effective cleaning and replaces multiple and harmful products with just one solution. The system has a very low environmental footprint, even compared to ‘so-called green’ cleaning chemicals, because there is virtually no packaging, shipping or waste that ends up on the landfill.
Centre manager, John Grinnell says, “Winning a Green Apple Award is a huge achievement as it is seen as one of the biggest environmental recognition schemes in the UK and internationally. At the Dolphin Shopping Centre we are fully aware of the effect our activity has, not only on the environment, but on our retailers, residents and local community in which we operate. By being committed to preserve and protect the environment, we are continually looking at ways of improving our operational areas and to be recognised as a sustainable organisation.”
After 21 years, the Green Apple Awards are the country’s major recognition for environmental endeavour.