Business in the Community (BITC), the national charity led by HRH The Prince of Wales, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Allen, CEO of Dairy Crest, as Chairman of the BITC South West Advisory Board.

Dairy Crest, the leading British owned dairy company, has a strong footprint in the South West, making Mr Allen a natural choice for the role. As well as buying a large proportion of its milk from supplying farmers based throughout the region, the company operates a number of factories, including at Davidstow in North Cornwall, where award-winning cheeses Cathedral City and Davidstow cheddar are made, and a cheese packing site at Frome.

Dairy Crest also achieved 98% and a Platinum Big Tick - the highest ranking - in the BITC's annual Corporate Responsibility Index 2013, putting Mr Allen in a good position to advise other companies on operating responsibly.

Previously Chairman of the National Rural Leadership team at BITC, Mark will now focus his attention on helping South West businesses of all sizes integrate responsible practices into their operations.

Following the appointment, Mark Allen said:

“I’m really looking forward to being part of a partnership that will help tackle serious social issues in the South West. Dairy Crest has already achieved some great results for our business and local communities by putting “doing the right thing” at the heart of our business strategy. I want to build on this and work with other local businesses to do the same and make a real difference in the South West, a beautiful area already known for its sustainable and responsible business credentials.

I believe we have a real opportunity to drive the responsible business agenda from the South West and ensure the region becomes one of the best places in the country to do business both now and in the future.”

Mark has been with Dairy Crest for over 22 years, progressing from business unit Managing Director, to the Board in 2002 and CEO in 2006. Mark is also Vice-Chairman of Dairy UK.

Raksha Pattni, Area Director, England West at BITC, added:

“Mark will be a great addition to the leadership team in the region and will be able to bring a CEO’s perspective to what it means to be a responsible business. Mark already knows BITC well and so will really hit the ground running in terms of activities in the South West.”