VMI is double winner at 2022 West London business awards

VMI have won two prestigious awards at the West London Business Awards. It is named Park Royal Business Company of the Year 2022 while MD Barry Bassett has won West London Business Leader of the Year.

West London Business is the voice of business in North-West London, covering seven local authority areas. Its members commit to raise the region’s global economic competitiveness, whilst pursuing social and environmental sustainability. The annual awards announced last week showcase business excellence around themes including ‘Sustainable & responsible business’, ‘Economic resilience’ and ‘Individual leadership’.

Park Royal Business of the Year

VMI was awarded for its actions in driving significant climate reduction measures for the entire UK-camera-rental-industry.

Describing VMI as a “crusader” the WLB judges said, “The passionate evangelism for practical environmental action that they started in their own organisation is now spreading to their competitors and suppliers too.”

A crusader, causing a major impact in climate reduction in the UK camera rental industry. The passionate evangelism for practical environmental action that they started in their own organisation is now spreading to their competitors and suppliers too.

West London Business Judges Comment

Initially, VMI was selected as one of twelve companies by the Mayor of London’s Better Futures+ sustainability campaign, winning a grant to create a net-zero roadmap and completing a carbon audit.

Subsequently VMI’s executives bought into a net-zero plan, making a commitment to replace 30% of their vans to electric by early 2022, installing solar PV panels to its Bristol building, replacing all lights with LEDs and installing insulation and reglazing in order to make the heating system more efficient, cutting emissions to 50% by 2025 and achieving net-zero by 2030.

A recent audit of VMI’s waste collection confirmed that they had sent no waste to landfill in 15-months – see audit.

VMI managing director, Barry Bassett, then took this net-zero initiative to the entire UK camera rental industry. Feedback was so positive that VMI created a new sustainability group for rental companies to meet four-times per year and which now has 27 camera rental companies including ARRI & Panavision and trade bodies such as Albert and BECTU, who have a sustainability focus.

VMI now plan to share best practice with the industry with a common goal of increasing the effectiveness and adoption of sustainability standards.

Bassett said, “We are delighted and immensely proud to receive this Award. We all put a lot of work into driving change around such a vital area and proving that all of can do more. Just as important is the message we hope it sends to the wider film and TV industry that small changes can impact positive good for all and all it takes is the passion and will to do so.

He added, “Rest assured we won’t stop here. This is just the beginning of driving carbon waste out of our business and out of the industry.”

West London Business Leader of the Year

In the teeth of the pandemic, VMI achieved record revenue up 113% over 2020 and doubling profit in 2021 over that of 2019 which had been its best year o record. At the same time, Bassett has contributed to a staff team at VMI that are engaged and proud of the company that they work for, and this is reflected by their lowest ever staff turnover rate.

Over the last couple of years he has led a Trailblazer Apprenticeship group, convening his competitors to develop a new apprenticeship standard for an entry-level camera technician role which is now about to begin its second season.

Barry has been recognised nationally at the COP26 summit for the deep embedding of environmental sustainability in their business. Alongside this, his commitment to training the next generation of the workforce makes him a highly deserving recipient of this year’s award.

West London Business Judges Comment

His efforts to commit VMI to Net Zero by 2030 led to Bassett being invited up to COP26 Glasgow by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as a winner in the national Hero of Net Zero Competition.

Among the company’s internal sustainability policies; VMI only sanctions European business travel by car or train and gives staff a bonus leave-day if they had not flown privately during the previous 12 months.

“Barry has been recognised nationally at the COP26 summit for the deep embedding of environmental sustainability in their business,” commended the awards judges. “Alongside this, his commitment to training the next generation of the workforce makes him a highly deserving recipient of this year’s award.”

Bassett said, “It is great to have been recognised for doing what we consider to be the right thing to do.  By putting sustainability at the heart of our strategy, every aspect of what we do has changed for the better.  Our staff are incredibly proud of what we have achieved and all of the Managers and Directors have shown great commitment to helping achieve the laudable aim of net zero in a reasonable time frame.”