A Hampshire businessman is in line for a national Institute of Directors award after winning the regional title in which he was described as the “standout candidate”.
Paul Fox, 42, won the south west title for corporate responsibility, a major achievement for the head of the asbestos removal company, Merryhill Envirotec.
He is now in the running for the major national award, the winner of which will be announced in October.
The businessman from Ferndown, Dorset, has been managing director of the Romsey-based company for less than two years.
The firm is involved in dangerous work, which is one of the reasons why Mr Fox was so pleased to have won the corporate responsibility regional award for small and medium sized businesses.
The Institute of Directors’ citation read that the award was for Mr Fox’s “dedication to excellence in corporate responsibility and compliance, his mentoring of other regional SMEs and youngsters, he being the first and only director in our entire asbestos removal industry to gain the coveted IoD Chartered Director status, and his continual striving for business best practice for Merryhill, made him the standout candidate in the field.”
Merryhill is at the forefront of many ethical and sustainability initiatives and has secured funding to look at ‘sustainability best practice’, the results of which it shares with other firms.
The company has also implemented a more flexible working environment with two members of staff able to work from home, saving 12,000 miles of travel each year and reducing Merryhill’s carbon footprint.
It has joined the Supply Chain Sustainability School, a virtual learning environment set up some major UK companies to help construction sub-contractors further develop their sustainability competencies.
Mr Fox, who also gives his time free to Dormen – a business mentoring scheme in Dorset – said: “It was a great surprise to have won the award and I’m absolutely delighted.
“And to be put through for consideration for the national award is a real achievement for the whole company and all the staff.
“In an industry such as ours, corporate responsibility is extremely important and all of us have worked hard to make progress in this area.”
