McCain Foods (GB) winner of the Green Business Award 2008 in the category Best Consumer Goods

In 2007, McCain launched major investments in renewable energy at one of its manufacturing plants, resulting in a reduction of 7,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide in six months. The company is continuing to explore further opportunities for eco-innovation and aims to demonstrate that manufacturing and the environment can co-exist.

Operating under the premise that 'good ethics is good business', McCain has long recognised the value of forging relationships with local farmers and suppliers. Today, it is British potato farmers' single largest customer, purchasing 12% of the country's annual crop.

In 2007, the company enhanced this commitment by taking steps to improve manufacturing processes and the transport of its goods. In particular, McCain launched two major renewable-energy projects. First, it invested £10m to construct three large wind turbines at its Whittlesey factory, near Peterborough, each rated at 3MW capacity. They now provide 60% of the plant's power consumption.

The company also put £5m into building a sealed lagoon to anaerobically digest the factory's wastewater, which is loaded with potato starch. The lagoon produces methane biogas, which is burned, generating electricity to meet another 10% of the plant's needs. At times of low demand, Whittlesey exports power to the national grid.