Our ‘Certification Marks’
The Environmental Quality Mark Community Interest Company runs two unique environmental ‘certification marks'.
The two marks are:
- the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark (PDEQM)
- the Staffordshire Environmental Quality Mark (SEQM)
What we do
In essence, we support rural micro-businesses to improve their environmental credentials. For example:
- 'Lyn' makes eco-ceramics in her back room
- 'Carol' felts local rare breed wool in a little workshop to the side of her kitchen
The day to day running of the EQM schemes involves:
- visiting existing award holders to check they are still meeting the EQM requirements
- undertaking assessments of new applicants
- convening and administering the Independent awards panel to judge new applications
- running an annual awards dinner/ celebration event with associated press coverage
- general marketing of the scheme, including through social media
- work on the online application form
- running networking and training events to get award holders together on a regular basis
- working with an Engagement Group where award holders get a say how their scheme is run
- working with public sector partners who can give us their views an tell us what local needs they think we can meet.
How to Qualify
To qualify for these ‘EQM' awards businesses need to demonstrate that they:
- support their local economy by trading locally;
- reduce their impact on the global environment;
- enhance their own local environment;
- invest in people and communities;
- celebrate the special and unique characteristics of their locality.
Why the ‘Marks’ matter
The Environmental Quality Mark process gives people space to think and plan. This massively increases their confidence and leads to a stronger, more focused business.
This really matters to us for lots of reasons. Stronger, more confident rural entrepreneurs mean better livelihoods for rural people and families. We believe that people should work where they live, for environmental reasons, but also so they can be part of their community. Too many villages are ghostly with no children or adults of working age – too many empty properties occasionally used by tourists.
We also believe that sustainability means better business. That businesses, customers, communities and the environment all gain from this approach.
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