BAE Systems Land UK is celebrating after scooping a top parliamentary award for its responsible business practices.
The company’s Glascoed site near Usk was crowned ‘National Responsible Business Champion’ 2018 during a reception at the House of Commons on Wednesday (4 July).
Monmouth MP David Davies nominated Land UK for the prestigious accolade from the All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Responsibility Group (APCRG) in recognition of its success in making a healthy workplace, supporting apprentices and reducing the firm’s environmental impact.
He said: “BAE Systems is an outstanding company. Nationally they are a vital supplier of defence equipment for our armed forces which helps to keep us safe.
“Locally they are a big employer offering highly-skilled and well-paid jobs. On my last visit I was very impressed with the apprenticeship scheme offered by BAE Systems and would strongly recommend that any young people interested in pursuing a career in engineering find out about it.
“I am delighted that they have won this award and even more so that they are the second business from Monmouthshire to have done so.”
The judging panel cited BAE Systems’ strong ethical supply chain principles, which it underpins with regular training and an internal helpline for staff with queries.
Additionally, the Glascoed site has made significant energy savings in recent years, reducing mains water usage by over 55 per cent. It is also currently building a reed bed filtration system to more efficiently treat waste water.
The site in Glascoed supplies essential ammunition to the British Army and has been in production since 1938 when it was built for World War Two.
Glascoed’s director Lee Smurthwaite said: “Behaving responsibly is at the core of what we do, whether it’s about our own employees, suppliers, the community or the environment.
“Winning Parliament’s 2018 National Responsible Business Champion award is a fantastic achievement, which everyone at BAE Systems is proud of.
“When your customer is the British Army, they expect not only the best products, but a responsible and ethical approach to business.”
Mr Davies previously nominated Abergavenny construction company Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd which took the National Responsible Business Champion title in 2016.
APCRG co-chair Jonathan Djanogly MP added: “First I would like to congratulate my colleague David Davies who clearly has a very good eye for businesses operating responsibly in his constituency having nominated a second National Responsible Business Champion award winner in the short history of our Responsible Business Champions scheme!
“David’s nomination demonstrated that BAE Systems Land UK is working hard to support the local community, investing in health in its workplace, offering great apprenticeships and training; and working to reduce its environmental impact.
“We were particularly pleased to see how seriously it takes the issue of working with its suppliers on ethics.”
BAE Systems was also recognised for its apprenticeship programme. Glascoed expects to take on 20 further apprentices in 2019 across a range of engineering, technical and professional disciplines.
Applications will be advertised on www.baesystems.com and open later this year in November.