Sustainability is at the heart of The Green Estate’s core. Its mission is to grow green and resilient urban places where people and nature can thrive. Founded in 2003 with a vision to transform the social, economic and environmental landscape in what was labelled by Roy Hattersley as ‘the worst estate in Britain’, last year it became one of the first 15 organisations to be given the prestigious King’s Enterprise Award for Sustainable Development.

​It shows its commitment to sustainability in many ways including:

• ​Designing and delivering of innovative ‘Pictorial Meadows’ which are rich in biodiversity and resilient in more challenging urban environments.​
• Collecting green waste from across Sheffield and turning it into PAS 100 peat free compost and specialist substrates for sustainable drainage systems​.
• On-site demonstration including heat pump sourced and green roof buildings, sustainable drainage systems, community orchards, micro forests and a pre-loved bookshop.​
• Engaging communities, students and businesses in learning about urban resilience including through master classes, events, apprenticeships, internships, volunteering, food growing and heritage activities.​
• Hosting and incubating other enterprises on the site such as Grow UK (who prepare young people for landscaping employment) and Cycle UK.
• Collaborative partnerships with a whole range of organisations including National Trust, the University of Sheffield, JuB, NHS, ARUP, Galiford Try, Manor and Castle Development Trust, Great Places Housing Association and many others.​

In the last year the team have:

• Supported the development of local policy and practice including the development of a ‘green and resilient’ Sheffield City Goal and co-chairing the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission Adaptation and Resilience Panel​.
• Planted over 750 trees in multiple sites in S2 as part of the South Yorkshire Mayor’s ‘Tree for Everyone’ campaign including a Miyawaki Forest.​
• Led the planting and maintenance of two of the most well-known urban sustainable drainage systems in the country – ‘Grey to Green’ in Sheffield and the Mansfield developments.
• Produced 7000 tons of PAS 100 Peat Free Compost and 1,588 tons of Substrate Soil for Sustainable Drainage Systems.
• Supported over 5,500 volunteering hours of people from a diverse range of backgrounds​.
• Achieved Green Flag Status in the 21 Hectare Manor Fields Park for the 9th Year in a row.
• Delivered a range of community engagement activities including botany and bird watching walks, food growing and family cycling.
• Produced and sold 36,000 square meters of Pictorial Meadow turf in the UK and in Holland.​
• Sold and sown Pictorial Meadows seed mixes across the UK including 153 million seeds in the Mega Flora project in North Lanarkshire, across Warwickshire University and the eight-mile Rotherham River of Flowers (central reservation) project.​
• Hosted more than 12,000 visitors and 5,000 school children in a variety of heritage and landscaping urban resilience education and learning sessions.

This organisation stands out for its work in holistic approach to sustainability as a beacon of hope delivering high quality and innovative products and services and operating from a community which has suffered more than its fair share of disadvantage.