The Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage, Oxfordshire, has been named as one of the UK’s leading examples of sustainability-driven success after being selected for the Green Growth 100.
The Green Growth 100 is an initiative launched by Small Business Britain in partnership with BT to recognise small businesses that are using sustainability as a core driver of growth, resilience and long-term success.
The programme highlights one hundred organisations across the UK that are embedding environmentally responsible practices into their operations, from reducing waste and energy use to rethinking supply chains and attracting new customers.
Founded in 1972, the Vale and Downland Museum has placed sustainability at the heart of its future strategy. Through an ongoing decarbonisation programme, the Museum has invested in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, including the installation of solar panels and upgraded lighting throughout the building.
In 2025 alone, the Museum generated 18.4 MWh of renewable electricity on-site, helping to significantly reduce energy costs and offset steep rises in utility prices.
These initiatives are delivering both environmental and financial benefits, strengthening the Museum’s resilience at a time when rising energy costs are placing increasing pressure on cultural organisations across the country.
On being named in the Green Growth 100, Museum Manager Lisa Gale said:
“Being recognised as part of the Green Growth 100 is a powerful endorsement of the work we have undertaken to embed sustainability into our operations. It shows that even small, independent museums can take meaningful action on climate change while improving financial resilience and securing a sustainable future for our communities.”
Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and Founder of Small Business Britain, said: “The Green Growth 100 celebrates the small businesses that are showing sustainability and growth go hand in hand.
“These businesses are not only reducing their environmental impact, but also strengthening their operations, engaging customers, and building more resilient business models. Vale and Downland is a brilliant example of how sustainability can fuel long-term success.”
The Green Growth 100 builds on the work of the Willow Review, an independent, Government-backed review into the financial benefits of sustainability, co-chaired by Small Business Britain with BT as a Steering Board member.
Its recommendations, published last summer, set out a roadmap for unlocking the financial potential of sustainability for the UK’s 5.6 million small businesses.
Chris Sims, Chief Commercial Officer, UK Business, at BT, added:
“The businesses in the Green Growth 100 are setting the benchmark for how sustainability can unlock innovation and commercial opportunity. It’s inspiring to see how small businesses across the UK are turning greener practices into real business growth. We’re proud to support this initiative and congratulate Vale and Downland Museum on being recognised.”
As a Green Growth 100 business, the Museum will also be in the running for the Green Growth Awards, hosted by BT on 12 March 2026, where two organisations will each receive a £5,000 grant to scale their sustainability ambitions.
