The company behind natural and organic meat and dairy-free brands such as Linda McCartney, Soy Dream and Granose, has developed quite a taste for being green.

Luton-based Hain Celestial, which plans to be carbon neutral by 2012 and boasts an impressive waste recycling rate of more than 90%, moves up 31 places into the top 10 this year thanks to a noteworthy menu of initiatives to limit its impact on the environment.

Between 2007 and 2008 the company managed to reduce food waste by more than 70%, cut water consumption by nearly 30% (from in excess of 50,000 litres a year to less than 37,000 litres) and lowered gas usage by 10% — double its target. It achieved all this through measures such as installing more efficient equipment including water saving devices and a can-crushing machine, minimising waste through good purchasing practices, reuse and economic recycling; economic use of paper and encouraging the purchase of recycled and recyclable materials.

The firm cultivates a high level of awareness of green issues among staff, giving them food for thought through its environmental training. It has certainly got the 818 employees at its four UK sites on board.

Hain Celestial gets 32 top 10 scores in our staff survey. It ranks first for employees being aware of the environmental implications of the work they do and knowing that the way they do their job reduces the firm's impact on the environment, earning green scores of 93% and 90% respectively. In addition, more staff at this organisation than at any other find that the environmental training they receive at work makes them feel differently about what they do at home (92%, also the top score).

Workers think the firm takes its environmental commitments very seriously (93%), that its eco responsibilities are at the heart of how it operates and that it always does what is best for the environment (both 91%).

Each department is audited for environmental performance, with staff encouraged to set up local recycling schemes, and there are awards for the greenest of them all.

The company, which has won a number of awards for its consideration of the environment, meets its eco targets year on year, according to staff, who give it a green score of 87% on this issue, a result bettered by just two other firms. To help the company achieve its goals, employees consider the environmental impact of work-related travel (86%) and know which waste goes where (96%). Support comes from above. Peter McPhillips, executive chairman for Europe, and other bosses are committed to the environment and encourage the workforce to recycle (both 91%).

Staff believe that the firm's environmental activities are not driven by a desire for favourable publicity (83%), think green initiatives are worth the money invested in them (97%) and feel they have a lot of power to influence the company's energy use (81%). All are top five scores.