A Mobile-based coalition of businesses, educators and community organizations is calling for nominations for its annual awards recognizing companies that have made notable environmental and economic contributions along the Gulf Coast.
Partners for Environmental Progress, known locally as PEP, is accepting applications for its 12th annual Member Awards, which honor companies that have combined economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. The awards will be presented during PEP’s annual membership meeting, scheduled for April 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center.
PEP was founded in 2000 to encourage cooperation between business and environmental interests across the Gulf Coast region. The organization now counts more than 200 members, ranging from major industrial employers to small nonprofits, all working under the shared goal of promoting both economic prosperity and environmental sustainability in south Alabama.
“If you look back over the past 12 years of award winners, it is apparent that our member companies are actively working to make sure that we have a clean and healthy Alabama Gulf Coast,” said PEP executive director Jennifer Denson.
Denson pointed to past recipients as examples of the kind of work the awards recognize, from a company relocating gopher tortoises ahead of construction projects to a major utility testing large-scale carbon capture technology, and from a chemical manufacturer converting industrial waste into a usable product to another cutting its natural gas consumption enough to offset hundreds of vehicles driving thousands of miles a year.
“PEP members are making a difference,” Denson said.
Member companies include some of the region’s largest employers, among them Alabama Power, Mobile Gas and Austal USA, alongside smaller firms and nonprofit partners. PEP also works closely with groups such as the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, the Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Citizens Advisory Committee, Mobile United’s Natural Resources Committee, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program’s Executive Committee, Alabama Coastal Cleanup and the Coastal Kids Quiz program.
This year’s award categories are expected to again reflect the diversity of the region’s economy, spanning manufacturing, shipbuilding, engineering, construction, health care, finance and personal services. Organizers said the judging criteria emphasize creativity and best practices rather than the sheer scale of a company’s environmental footprint.
“Because the focus of the awards is on best practices and innovation and not simply overall environmental impact, small businesses are just as likely to be recognized as larger companies,” Denson said.
Nominees are reviewed and selected by PEP’s board of directors through an individual priority voting process, with an eye toward recognizing companies that have adopted more earth-friendly practices in their operations.
“Too often we only hear negative comments about industry and the environment,” Denson said. “We are honored to recognize our local member companies’ innovation and commitment to environmental stewardship. A clean environment is good for business. Our past award recipients demonstrate that being environmentally conscious and innovative is also good for the company bottom line.”
In addition to the Member Awards, PEP also presents a Community Partners in Recognition Award to organizations outside its business membership that have made significant environmental contributions. Last year’s recipients were the Mobile County Commission and Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast, honored for establishing and operating the Mobile County Recycling Center. The facility gave West Mobile residents a local drop-off option for household recyclables, including aluminum, paper, cardboard, glass and non-alkaline batteries, sparing many of them a roundtrip of 25 miles or more to the nearest recycling center. The project was funded through $2.4 million in federal grants tied to offshore oil and gas revenue.
“These award-winning companies exemplify PEP’s mission to promote sustainable economic growth while conserving, protecting and restoring the natural resources that make our region a unique and desirable place to live and do business,” Denson said.
The deadline to submit Member Award nominations is Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Applications can be submitted by email to jdenson@pepmobile.org. Additional information about the nomination process, past award recipients and the April membership meeting is available at www.pepmobile.org.