Innovate UK
The Ethical Corporations annual Responsible Business Awards recognise sustainable and ongoing business collaboration. This years winners in the Best Business to Business (B2B) Partnership category are Jaguar Land Rover and Novelis for their work on the REALCAR project.
The aim of the REALCAR (Recylced Aluminium CAR) project is to develop a new aluminium alloy for use in vehicle manufacture. Innovate UK played a key role in enabling this work by funding an initial research and development project.
The winning project needed to show clear environmental, social and commercial benefits. The judges commented:
This project has great commercial impact tackling a major issue with measurable impact and values, very scalable for other industries; new and unique. Multiple outcomes have emerged from a single B2B partnership - including suppliers - that stands above the rest.
This innovation helps to reduce greenhouse gases in the production phase. It also supports a circular economy. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy and a lighter car reduces vehicle exhaust emissions. This has the benefit of conserving energy and other natural resources.