The John Lewis Partnership has been named 'Retailer of the Year' at the New Energy Awards 2009, in association with Rosenblatt Solicitors. The Partnership beat The Body Shop, Sainsburys, Asda, Co Op Group, Howies and Liberty International in the category which aimed to recognise 'the retail chain which has gone the furthest to foster the use of green and new energy techniques either in their stores or from their suppliers'. The ten winners each received a virtual plot in a wildlife project in the heart of England. They were presented with a certificate, satellite video to their plot and a letter from Stephen Fry, actor and President of the Great Fen wildlife project.
The awards, held in the Natural History Museum, London, in February celebrate the achievements of management teams, companies and projects that have made a significant contribution to the renewable energy sector in the past year. The Partnership has achieved a 19 per cent improvement in shop energy efficiency since 2003-04, through a number of green energy initiatives. Waitrose Rickmansworth, for example, receives power from two tomato farms.