SME News - Managing Director of the Year Awards 2024/ 52 Garden Products MD of the Year 2024: Sue Rawlings Carbon’s Gold’s location of North Somerset also helps it considerably in achieving these aims, with this beautiful corner of the UK being just as committed to its sustainability efforts as the company itself, resulting in a supportive atmosphere and a strong market for these industry-leading biochar products. This location is strategic in other ways too, as its close proximity to a number of leading universities and research institutions gives Carbon Gold a strong and diverse pool of expert talent and knowledge from which to draw. Having worked with the likes of Premier League football clubs, major golf clubs, and royal parks and gardens throughout the UK, Carbon Gold Ltd is setting the gold standard for soil health, climate change mitigation, and environmental practices, leveraging the power of biochar to achieve great things for those across the country with green fingers. The level of success that the company has attained over the last decade would not have been possible were it not for Managing Director Sue Rawlings, making her a worthy recipient of this award. Contact: Sue Rawlings Company: Carbon Gold Ltd Web Address: https://www.carbongold.com/ North Somerset’s Carbon Gold Ltd produces and supplies several sustainable garden products that have been expertly designed to improve the health of soil and the overall vitality of plants. As the world’s leading biochar company, Carbon Gold’s range is in a category of its own, and the company has even a received a royal warrant from HRH King Charles III for its outstanding excellence in the field. A key figure in the company’s ongoing success has been Managing Director Sue Rawlings, and we have the pleasure of catching up with Sue to find out more about her journey and the wider company. Carbon Gold is driven by the prospect of affording the likes of UK farmers, gardeners, and horticulturalists with sustainable solutions that not only enhance their soil, but also support wider agriculture and construction industries. The undercurrent of environmental stewardship that runs throughout the business is what fuels its growth, and sees it seek to save our planet one garden at a time. Biochar, Carbon Gold’s primary export, is a lightweight carbon residue boasting remarkable fertilising capabilities, and thus helps the business in achieving these sustainability aims. Biochar is the primary ingredient in all the company’s products, such as its Biochar Soil Improver and Biochar Fertiliser, as well as its AllPurpose and Seed Compost. Its outstanding selection of products even resulted in Carbon Gold recently becoming CPD accredited. CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development, and such an accreditation showcases the incredibly high standards that this team maintain across the board. For Sue, “this recognition underscores our leadership in promoting climate change mitigation.” Across her role as Carbon Gold’s MD, Sue Rawlings has a number of responsibilities that ensure the continuous success and growth of this environmentally positive brand. These duties include overseeing the company’s vision and relaying it accurately to the team, fostering an open culture of trust and communication, as well as ensuring that continuous learning and innovation are achieved, so that the company may remain at the forefront of the sustainable garden products industry. Sue’s journey within Carbon Gold dates back to 2013, when she joined the company in an office coordinator position. Less than two years later, her hard work resulted in a promotion to finance and operations manager. In early 2021, Sue became the finance and operations head, before finally settling in her managing director role a year later in January 2022. Regardless of the role, the key to Sue’s success lies in her transforming challenge into opportunity, and it is this which ultimately dictates her leadership philosophy. “My journey at Carbon Gold reflects my commitment to sustainability and innovation. Under my leadership, we continue to lead the way in sustainability and climate change, helping restore our planet for future generations.” When it comes a typical day in the life of Sue Rawlings, she explains, “every day is a new opportunity to drive Carbon Gold forward and make a positive impact. I start each morning with a clear plan, prioritising tasks that align with our strategic goals. Staying organised helps me focus on what truly matters, advancing our mission to combat climate change through sustainable agriculture.” To aid her in achieving this mission, Sue empowers each and every member of her team, keeping everyone aligned and motivated.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQyNzgzNA==