ONE of the UK’s largest water retailers has received three accolades at an industry awards ceremony in London.
Edinburgh-based Business Stream emerged as a top leader in gender diversity, winning the Best Employer for Women (under 500 employees) honour at the inaugural Women in Utilities Awards.
The firm also picked up two employee focused awards, with Sophia Goring, Head of ESG named Mentor of the Year and CEO Jo Dow collecting Woman of the Year.
Hosted by the Women Utilities Network in association with Utility Week, the awards were designed to celebrate the achievements of women in the sector, and the organisations that champion them.
Judged by prominent female figures from across the utility and energy industries, women from across the sector gathered at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London to celebrate their successes.
Jo Dow, said: “We were hugely honoured to win three awards at the inaugural Women in Utilities awards and to be able to hear first-hand from some of the amazing women working in our sector.
“These wins recognise Business Stream’s commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace that welcomes and promotes diversity and encourages colleagues to develop and progress.”
Originally created in 2006 to offer best in class water services to businesses in Scotland, Business Stream later acquired the non-household customer base of Southern Water ahead of the planned opening of the English retail water market.
That market change in 2017 paved the way for 1.2 million businesses and public bodies in England to be able to choose their water supplier. In 2019 Business Stream acquired the customer base of its competitors Yorkshire Water Business Services (YWBS) and Three-Sixty, doubling its market share.
Based in Edinburgh, with a presence in Worthing and Bradford, Business Stream is guided by its ambitious vision to make a positive difference to its customers, its people, the environment and local communities.
The firm has recently saved the Scottish public sector £2.4m across the last financial through water efficiency solutions such as leak detection and smart monitoring services.
