Verco’s Julie Gallagher wins ‘highly commended’ Sustainability Innovation Champion of the year at the Innovation Awards 2023.
We are delighted and proud that Julie Gallagher, Senior Consultant at Verco, won ‘highly commended’ in the Sustainability Innovation Champion of the Year category at the Innovation Awards. She did particularly well because the other finalists in this category were businesses and not individuals.
The awards have four main categories:
- The Innovators
- Individual Innovators
- Innovation champions
- Innovation Thought Leaders
The Innovation Champion category is for those who support companies with innovation.
Companies, organisations and individuals were nominated by others. The judges reviewed and shortlisted the nominees with the shortlist then going to a public vote. Five finalists in each category were then interviewed by an independent judging panel of three judges, so the finalists had been thoroughly ‘put through their paces’ and all have done superbly well to achieve that position.
Julie Gallagher has supported businesses in every sector with decarbonising their estates. She has worked across the UK and Europe. The judges said that “Julie resonated enthusiasm and commitment and highly impressed the judges with her clear focus and absolute dedication to sustainability”.
We interviewed Julie about her impressive achievements which have led to this well-deserved external recognition:
Julie, congratulations on winning ‘highly commended’ at the innovation awards, tell us a bit about the businesses you have worked with over the years:
I have been lucky enough to have worked with some of the largest car manufactures across the UK and Europe, along with the UK’s largest media company, Aviation/Rail/MOD. Leisure and across the NHS and Education sectors, Supporting housing associations with issues around fuel poverty.
Can you give me some examples of the innovative projects you have worked on and what they have achieved?
Supported funding for large scale retrofit upgrades across the housing associations in Scotland.
UK Media & Production company – Won Net Zero/Decarbonisation implementation road map across the Group. Setting standards for carbon reduction projects across their UK estates.
Working with UK car manufacturers on streamlining their energy efficiency projects, design concepts on aging kit and renewable technology projects / data capture and energy management dashboard and large rollout of LED lighting.
The judges noted your passion and commitment, what excites you about sustainability?
For me, it's all about building relationships and understanding the client's business and future demands. Delivering on your promises, working on projects that will actually make a difference. I love the before and after providing data on what the projects have delivered. Seeing the impact and the value on the ROI / energy and carbon savings.
What future projects are you going to be embarking on?
I will be continuing to develop my skills – Due to start at Keele University (Commercial decarbonisation course)
Along with working with clients at the moment to support with Scope 1, 2 & 3 and data capture/utility mapping. Helping support how clients in the Commercial sectors reduce carbon emissions while keeping their operational/production costs under control. Giving them a clear understanding of how they use their energy. Setting clear net zero targets on how and what they will have to do to deliver these across their estate/s. The benefits and commercial commitments they will need to make to become Net Zero.
