Multi-award-winning sweet business founder named as finalist in three prestigious award categories
The founder of a multi-award-winning vegan sweet business has been named as a finalist in three prestigious award categories.
Greta McDonald founded her confectionery brand, Sweet Lounge, in Brixworth back in 2014.
The business owner knew there were better alternatives waiting to be discovered to what was already available on the sweet shelves, as no brands had endeavoured to offer vegan sweets with plastic-free packaging.
Just four months ago, Sweet Lounge won the ‘Sustainability Award’ at the Celebrating Small Business Awards and this was added to previous accolades.
Now, Greta has made the final in three of the 10 categories at this year’s National Institute of Directors (IoD) Director of the Year Awards – which celebrate England’s most outstanding leadership talent.
Greta will learn her fate in the Sustainability Director, Innovation Director and Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) Director of the Year categories in October.
“It’s amazing and I didn’t expect it to be honest,” Greta told the Chronicle & Echo. “I hoped to be in the final for one, but for all three is quite something.”
The business founder was asked questions about her leadership style as part of the award application process, including the systems in place, targets and expectations for the future.
Sweet Lounge has already eliminated single-use plastics in its kitchens, is conscious about electricity usage, and is the only sweet brand in retail that has compostable packaging.
Since the business launched in 2021, 350,000 pieces of single-use plastic have been saved from entering oceans and landfill by Sweet Lounge. The team now hopes to double that.
The business is also looking to become a B Corporation, a company that has met the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
It means a lot to Greta that their impact has been understood by the judges, and she explained the ultimate target is to get other brands to follow in Sweet Lounge’s footsteps.
When asked what difference award nominations and wins make, Greta said: “They always mean a great deal to us. It helps push the team and it’s great recognition for the work that others don’t see.”
Greta says it would be “amazing” to win, but says she is up against some strong competition who do meaningful work in their fields.