Wild honoured by university

JONATHAN Wild, former chairman and chief executive of Bettys & Taylors, has received an honorary degree by the University of Leeds in recognition of his achievements.

The Honorary Doctorate of Laws was presented to Mr Wild following his 30 year career with Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate.

During this time, the company was regularly featured in the Sunday Times ‘Best 100 Companies to work for’ list and in 2007 it received its second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

Mr Wild is a passionate conservationist and during the last 20 years has led the company’s initiative to plant three million trees in tea and coffee growing countries around the world through the ‘Trees for Life’ scheme.

The business has now moved from planting trees to preventing their destruction with the launch of the Yorkshire Rainforest Project ,which aims to help save an area of rainforest the size of Yorkshire.

“It is, of course, a tremendous honour to be recognised in this way, particularly by such a great university. I have seen firsthand some of the outstanding work carried out by its world-leading experts in the School of Earth and the Environment through their involvement in the United Bank of Carbon, a charity of which I am a trustee,” said Mr Wild.

“The School has been instrumental in helping us to create the largest database of certified rainforest protection projects in the world which we are now seeking to partner with businesses. It’s a great example of how businesses and the academic world can work together.”

Leeds Metropolitan University has honoured Rigby and Peller owner June Kenton as part of its graduation celebration owners.

Mrs Kenton has transformed the lingerie company from a small business into an internationally recognised brand favoured by royalty and celebrities alike

Speaking at the University’s graduation ceremony, she said: “I am very proud to be here.  I left school at 16 so this is a completely different world to me and it is wonderful to see all the students graduating today.”

Mrs Kenton was awarded an honorary degree in business administration.

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