Community initiatives are integral to the company’s corporate objectives, and as a result it is engaged at many levels throughout the communities in which it operates, from local to national and industry-wide. The company’s most recent initiative is its ‘Support, Security and Safety Community Programme’.

Amongst the many activities Macphie has developed under the Programme, the company:

- has developed a sustainable partnership with Home-Start of Kincardineshire, an organisation which offers support and practical help to families which may at times feel vulnerable. Home-Start supports parents of young children and a number of Macphie employees are now acting as volunteers

- worked in partnership with Tayside Fire & Rescue to run a number of campaigns to raise awareness of fire safety and prevention, using the high standards of safety in transferable skills and awareness to improve safety in the home

- developed its Portethen Primary Schools Challenges – involving five schools, the schools take part in a number of challenges which lead them through designing a product, its design, costing, production, marketing and packaging raising awareness of the issues facing businesses in the food industry.

Julian Hunt, FDF Director of Communications and Awards judge, said: “The food industry’s unstinting dedication towards community initiatives should be commended. Our industry has a long history of implementing schemes which help to educate, inspire and develop local communities across the UK and the Awards reward this fantastic but often unsung work.”

Alastair Macphie, Macphie chief executive, said: “Macphie has social responsibility in its roots and we’re delighted to win a Community Partnership Award. Our success as a business depends on our employees, our respect for the environment and the community, which is why they are embedded into our business strategy. We are setting the standard for responsible businesses.”