Representatives from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries were out in force on 5 July at London's Park Lane Hilton for the Chemical Industry Awards.
A number of pharmaceutical companies were among the nominations. GlaxoSmithKline was shortlisted for three awards. The first was the People Development award, for which the company's proactive resilience programme was praised.
The firm's site in Montrose was nominated for a Responsible Care award, the judges particularly impressed by the passionate way in which GlaxoSmithKline management team and employees at Montrose worked together to improve its Responsible Care performance during a very challenging period," according to Chemical Industry Association (CIA) head of Operations & Assurance, Colin Chambers.
GlaxoSmithKline employee Claire Edwards was one of the five hopefuls shortlisted for the prestigious Young Ambassador award. Edwards was praised for her efforts to promote the benefits of a career in science to school pupils and students.
Bayer's risk management department was also shortlisted for the People Development award, because of its commitment to providing a wider view of best practice. Specialty chemicals manufacturer Rohm and Haas (UK) was highly commended in the Community award category. Uniqema Bromborough also received a nomination for a Community award.
Robinson Brothers, the global specialty chemicals firm, won the Exporter of the Year award.
Health and personal care supply chains firm Excelsyn and the Formose Project Team from Solutia UK both received nominations for the Innovator of the Year award. Excelsyn was praised for its innovative business models.
Biotechnology company Gezyme was lauded for the environmental consciousness of its work and its rapid growth in the past year with a nomination for the Sustainable Development award, for which the Oldbury site of specialty chemicals firm Rhodia (UK) was also shortlisted.
The Company of the Year award went to Air Products plc, the global gas, equipment and chemicals supplier for a wide range of industries, including healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.