This March the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) will launch its fifth annual awards – now named the Food Made Good Awards, sponsored by Nestlé Professional. The accolades are a chance for restaurants and the food service sector to showcase their sustainability achievements.

Managing director of the SRA, Mark Linehan, says that recent years have witnessed a transformation in diners’ attitudes towards food. This is certainly supported by the results of a survey conducted by Harden’s on behalf of Food Made Good last year. The survey of more than 1,000 diners revealed that sustainability issues were a deciding factor in choosing a dining destination for over 80 per cent of people.

Following the success of the publicly voted People’s Favourite Award in 2015, the SRA is again inviting diners to nominate their favourite sustainable restaurants. The award attracted more than 10,000 votes in 2015, with Star Bistro in Cheltenham winning out in the end – food is prepared and served by students with multiple or complex disabilities. Vote for your People’s Favourite 2016. Nominations close on Sunday 7 February.

There are two new categories among the 19 awards which president of the SRA, Raymond Blanc OBE will present at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall on 22 March. The Food Made Good University/College of the Year and the Food Made Good Supplier of the Year award.

Raymond Blanc will also present his own Sustainability Hero award which honours those that have made a genuinely significant impact on sustainable food. Last year’s winner was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

The gala lunch will be prepared by chefs from Petersham Nurseries, led by Damian Clisby, and the team from Clink Events, led by Al Crisci, will run front of house at the event. Full details for the awards can be found at http://www.foodmadegood.org/awards/