Pioneering Whitby Company Shortlisted for Awards

Nature's Laboratory, a company researching and making natural medicines in Whitby, North Yorkshire, has been shortlisted for no less than 5 regional business awards:

• Technology & Digital Award - Scarborough News Awards
• Rural Business of the Year - Scarborough News Awards
• Best Business Transformation - Scarborough News & Yorkshire Post Awards
• Small Business of the Year - Yorkshire Post Awards

These award nominations demonstrate the amazing transformation the company has undergone in recent months. Nature’s Laboratory are facing stiff competition from much larger and nationally recognised companies, such as Evri (the delivery firm) in the Best Business Transformation category.

Dr Shankar Katekhaye, Director for Quality & Research at Nature’s Laboratory said:

"To be shortlisted for 5 awards is an amazing achievement for us. Our whole team has worked tirelessly this year, in what have been very difficult trading conditions, and faced every challenge with optimism and enthusiasm. It's fantastic to see that our efforts are now being rewarded."

As well as undertaking ground-breaking research into natural medicines (including propolis) and natural skincare, the company is also working on a model for truly sustainable organisations, something they call 'Threes Company'. The company believes that to be truly sustainable, organisations need to nurture all three aspects of their being – economic, social and cultural. Judging by the number of business award nominations they have recently received; it seems the award decision makers are recognising the importance of this approach too.

Jack Barber, Managing Director at Nature's Laboratory told us:

"At Nature's Laboratory we believe that truly sustainable business needs to find a meaningful balance between all three elements of a company's life – the economic, of course, but also the social, and cultural, the meaning and purpose of the business. We believe we have an important role in our community, promoting not just healthy and sustainable lives but healthy and sustainable businesses too."

"Nature’s Laboratory is a 'Threes Company'. For us, strong economic performance comes out of a strong sense of purpose and meaning as well as a strong social and community life both inside and outside our own business. This includes our local community as well as our wider community of suppliers, customers, and partners."

Nature's Laboratory founder, James Fearnley, is now working with other local and regional organisations to help them explore their model of a healthy business or organisation through the concept of 'Threes Company'.

James says:

"We have been helping businesses as well as social and cultural organisations in the York area explore how they can rebalance the way they work, to produce genuinely healthy and sustainable organisations in these difficult times.

For Nature's Laboratory this has meant a move away from the traditional top-down hierarchical structures. Our company is guided by a core group of three lead directors in a college of directors. We are developing ways in which all our staff, our 'working community', can be involved and share in the development of the business."

Nature's Laboratory will find out if they have won any of the awards at glamorous presentation ceremonies on 22^nd November in Leeds, and 30^th November in Scarborough. To find out more about the company please visit natureslaboratory.co.uk or call 01947 602346.