A North-East business has won a prestigious award as a result of its commitment to the environment at its family-run hair salon.
Inverurie-based Élan Hair Design, which can claim to be the UK’s most eco-friendly hair salon, has won the Green Family Business of the Year Award at The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards.
The winners were announced at a ceremony in Glasgow last night (Wednesday, November 7).
Lauren Milton, salon coordinator at Élan Hair Design, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won this award. To be recognised on a national scale for what our business has achieved is absolutely fantastic.
“We have a close-knit, hard-working team which plays a key role in the environmental work we do as well as providing first-class hairdressing services to all of our clients. This honour is as much for them as it is the business itself.”
Élan was established in 1971 and is run by husband and wife Lorna and Gordon Milton alongside their daughters Lanice and Lauren.
The salon started a major eco-friendly initiative in 2012 which involved a £250,000 refurbishment of its premises.
Features of the revamp included the installation of PV (photovoltaic) panels which generate electricity and solar-thermal panels to provide energy for hot water.
The salon has since continued to develop innovative methods of reducing its carbon footprint; including designing a system to send hair clippings and other biodegradable waste to be spread as soil improver on local farmers’ fields.
Élan’s green approach to running a hair salon has led the business to reducing its emissions by 95% and water consumption by 68% as well as cutting the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 94%.
The salon has also spent time sharing examples of its best practices with the Adam Smith College in Fife and the North East Scotland College, as well as giving presentations at local, national and international business conferences.
Élan has won 28 business awards having received more than 90 nominations as a result of its eco-friendly programme.