SURREY’S first environmentally aware business awards have fallen victim to the coronavirus crisis and have been postponed until 2021.

CREST20 – Corporate Responsibility for the Environment and a Sustainable Tomorrow 2020 – has been organised by the News & Mail in partnership with the University of Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability.

News & Mail managing director Terry Tidbury said: “We greatly regret that the impact of the coronavirus crisis means that the awards ceremony, which was due to take place at the WWF Living Planet Centre in November this year, will now take place in May 2021.

“We’re delighted to confirm that the WWF and Woking Borough Council are continuing to give us their support along with our sponsors, who include Surrey County Council as headline sponsor.”

Other sponsors for CREST20 Sustainable Business Awards include Chambers Recycling, sponsoring the Sustainability Hero Award. Holdsway interim executive recruitment specialists are sponsoring the Efficiency Champion Award, William Lacey Group is sponsoring the Sustainability Impact Award and Planet Woking is sponsoring Transforming Food.

The rescheduling of the event means that entries are now due to open on 25 January 2021.

With some remaining sponsorship opportunities for businesses from as little as £1,000, Terry added: “When life returns to normal, as it eventually will do, we must not lose sight of the need to protect our environment.

“Businesses and organisations will need to be prepared to work hard to regain public awareness and trust and these awards aim to celebrate and inspire more sustainable ways of working are a great way to do that – as sponsors and participants.”

For more information on the awards visit www.crestawardssurrey.co.uk. You can also follow @CrestBusiness on Twitter.