Safia Minney

People Tree

Christine Armstrong

Second Nature

Susie Hewson

Natracare

Julie Brown

Growing Communities

Judith Freane

Brown Cow

Karen Mattison & Emma Stewart

Women Like Us

Solitaire Townsend

Futerra Sustainability Communications Ltd

Carry Somers

Pachacuti

Renée Elliott

Planet Organic

Lucy Wisdom

Sumatran Orangutan Society

People Tree is the pioneer of Fair Trade and ecological fashion, making stylish clothing and accessories for women, men, children and babies.

"To win a WEBA would be a significant boost to People Trees profile and the purity of our work. In a world where the mainstream does Fair Trade certified fibre but not Fair Trade manufacture, we need to profile the difference a 100% Fair Trade fashion pioneer stands for."

What better way to keep your home warm than to wrap it in a woolly jumper? That’s exactly what Cumbrian based company, Second Nature UK, has achieved with its product Thermafleece, building insulation made quite literally from the fleeces of sheep that graze the hills of Britain.

"Winning the WEBA award would be so thrilling for all of us and show that smaller, rural ethical enterprises can take giant steps in helping change the environment"

Natracare were created back in 1989 as a result of my concerns for chemical and plastic pollution produced during and after the manufacture of feminine hygiene products. The Natracare range developed to be 24 products made from certified organic cotton and natural cellulose materials, (74%-100% renewable and sustainable materials).

"This award would help to make other women aware that making a product choice can help to make a difference in the world."

Growing Communities was set up by local people in Hackney, North London and runs an organic fruit and vegetable box scheme, an all-organic farmers’ market and three small organic market gardens.

"Winning the WEBA award would be an amazing recognition of the fact that it is possible for local communities – even in urban areas – to provide practical, small-scale solutions to huge environmental problems such as climate change by changing where their food comes from."

Brown Cow Organics is an award winning company that sells food and products produced on the farm direct to the customer. Its success is dependent on the dairy herd of 100 Guernsey cows and all its offspring that produce the milk the beef and the hides.

"Winning this award is an accolade to farming and to the countryside."

Women Like Us is a social enterprise that supports women who want to return to work after having started a family. Women Like Us offers free career coaching services, helping to prepare women to go back to work and we combine this with a recruitment service specialising in part time jobs.

"Winning the Women in Ethical Business Awards would be fantastic recognition of our business and social achievements so far, and we hope it will help empower women who want to return to work, to know that it is possible to find a flexible job that fits around the demands of family life."

1 in 3 British women want to shop ethically but the market remains small. Futerra is the UK’s top green marketing company, and we create communications and advertising that sell green and ethical products as fabulous.

"This award would prove that we all want to be green (if we can enjoy it!)."

A pioneer in fair trade fashion, I set up Pachacuti in 1992 after Anita Roddick's autobiography inspired me to address the inequalities in the clothing industry. Pachacuti means world upside-down in Quechua and my designs demonstrate that it is possible to create beautiful clothing and accessories which benefit the producers, preserve traditional skills and are environmentally sustainable.

"Winning this award would be wonderful recognition of our commitment to improving the livelihoods of our 700 knitters, embroiderers and panama hat weavers in the Andes and would enable me to continue raising awareness of the difference fair trade makes."

I knew that when I started a business, it would have to be values led – not just commercially driven. My dream with Planet Organic, therefore, is to promote health in the community. In order to achieve this, we create stores that are inviting and informative – community centres where people come for advice and support – for themselves, their families and their children. If you have health and vitality, you can achieve your dreams.

" If we win the WEBA, it will raise the Planet Organic profile and help us to raise awareness with more people in the community."

The world is only now waking up to the likelihood of extinction of orangutans and how strongly deforestation in Indonesia affects global greenhouse gas emissions. For 10 years, the SOS has worked with local Indonesian people to establish a conservation group in Sumatra.

"Winning the WEBA would be magnificent recognition for the cause, and with more support, our projects can expand and help ensure the survival of the orangutan and its rainforest home."