The highlight of the ceremony is the award of three Excellence awards, which are given to businesses that went over and above the criteria required – truly embracing new measures out of concern for the environment and showing real dedication to resource efficiency.
 

Excellence Award winners were:

Gold – Pure Lakes Skincare – Staveley, near Kendal
Silver –Wildly Rural – Kirksanton, near Millom
Bronze – Hunter Hall School - Penrith
 

Iain Blackburn of Pure Lakes Skincare, winner of the Gold Excellence Award, said, “Winning the Gold Excellence Award is a huge compliment when you consider the great work done by the other finalists. CBEN provide an excellent service to a large variety of companies of all sizes throughout Cumbria and we feel honoured to be recognised in this way. We are still a young and growing company and hope this will demonstrate that all businesses can be environmentally responsible and successful.”
 

Pauline Preston of Wildly Rural, winner of the Silver Excellence Award, said, “To be shortlisted for the excellence award was sufficient recognition in itself, but receiving the award ensures we can now demonstrate our environmental performance to our clients. Although we are proud of our achievement, the award spurs us on to continue developing the environmental strategy which is at the forefront of our design, development and production ideas.”
 

Hunter Hall Headmaster Tony Winzor said, "We are delighted to receive the award in recognition of the school's commitment to the environment and to more general sustainability issues.  The pupils have been actively involved in putting together an environmental policy and to making real changes in order to be more aware of the effects of our behaviour on important global issues.  Whilst it is not always easy on a site that is made up of old and listed buildings, the governing body too, are committed to continued responsible development of the school.  It is a very exciting phase of Hunter Hall School's development, coinciding with its 25th jubilee."

Jeremy Westgarth from the Environment Agency in Penrith presented the Excellence Awards and said: "We are delighted to remain involved with the CBEN programme and to provide sponsorship of the awards ceremony. Every year it is impressive to see the effort put in by Cumbrian businesses to reduce their environmental impact and in particular this year to see over 450 businesses involved, many at the highest standard. Congratulations to all Cumbrian businesses involved".