Businesses in Scotland are being encouraged to enter the race to be recognised as the country’s greenest transport business as the 2013 VIBES Transport Award opens for entries.

VIBES, or the Vising in Business for the Environment of Scotland Awards, is backed by the Scottish Government.

It aims to recognise businesses of all sizes and sectors employing environmental best practice in their day-to-day activity to cut down on resource use, increase sustainability, improve reputation and benefit the company’s bottom-line.

The VIBES Transport Award, sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust in Scotland, recognises businesses based in Scotland that have made an effort to significantly reduce transport-related fuel consumption.

VIBES is urging businesses that have achieved a measurable reduction in environmental impact through sustainable transport initiatives to apply before the Friday, July 5, deadline.

Last year, Lothian Buses in Edinburgh won the Transport Award for its work in reducing carbon, noise and air pollution from its fleet of buses.

Through an ambitious programme of exhaust retrofitting and the purchase of hybrid buses, the business significantly reduced its levels of pollution in all three areas.

Dr Steve Johnson, environmental and CSR manager at Lothian Buses, said: “We particularly appreciated the VIBES judging process as it involved an on-site visit which allowed judges to see first-hand the actions we were taking.

“Detailed questioning also allowed the company to comprehensively describe its work without being concerned about meeting excessively tight word count restrictions, which can be typical of award nomination forms today.”

Now in its fourteenth year, the free-to-enter awards have produced winners from across Scotland, drawn from a range of sectors including manufacturing, food and drink, transport, oil and gas, environmental services and leisure.

Gillian Bruce, VIBES chair, explained: “The aim of VIBES is to recognise businesses operating in Scotland that are trying to help make the country more environmentally aware, and that are working towards Scotland’s 2020 carbon reduction targets.

“All our awards are judged on set criteria which focus on commitment and innovation as well as environmental and economic benefit.

“The VIBES Transport Award is open to businesses in any sector in Scotland. I’d encourage businesses in Scotland that have made a real effort to reduce the amount of carbon emissions from our transport infrastructure to apply.”

Energy Saving Trust in Scotland has returned this year to support the VIBES Transport Award in a bid to highlight the potential to reduce levels of carbon emissions from transport in Scotland.

Ian Murdoch, manager for Scottish transport at the Energy Saving Trust in Scotland, said: “We recognise that most businesses have a need for transport and travel – for goods, customers and staff – but we’re aware that there is rarely a universal solution to running an efficient company vehicle fleet.

“By sponsoring the VIBES Transport Award 2013 we are supporting businesses that adopt effective environmental practices.”

VIBES is a strategic partnership between the Energy Saving Trust, Green Business Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Government, Scottish Water and Zero Waste Scotland.

There are a total of ten award categories for businesses to apply for this year, including the VIBES Transport Award and two new categories for 2013: the Hydro Nation Award and the Circular Economy Award.

For more information or to obtain an application form for the VIBES Awards, visit www.vibes.org.uk.