21/08/2026
We are SO PLEASED to anounce we have been chosen as one of 3 Finalist in this year Good Funeral Wards for Green Company of the Year
Here is just what one of the Nominators said
I am delighted to nominate Respect group, including Respect Woodland Green Burial Parks, Direct Funeral Services, Express Burials and Express Cremations, for Green Company of the Year.
For more than fifteen years, Gordon Tulley has consistently championed environmentally responsible funeral care in the UK. Through Respect Woodland Green Burial Parks, he has demonstrated that funeral services can actively benefit nature while providing compassionate and affordable choices for bereaved families.
His business group has developed an integrated approach to sustainable funeral care. Rather than offering a single green product, the companies provide environmentally conscious options across the entire funeral journey, including woodland green burials, direct burials, lower-impact cremation services and simple funeral arrangements that reduce unnecessary environmental impact while remaining accessible to families.
The Respect Green Burial Parks have created living landscapes where native trees, wildflower meadows and wildlife habitats replace traditional cemetery infrastructure. Memorials are designed to work with nature rather than against it, encouraging biodiversity and creating peaceful natural spaces that continue to benefit future generations.
Innovation has been a hallmark of the business. The introduction of natural burial options, biodegradable bamboo shrouds, direct green burial services and affordable nationwide funeral choices demonstrates a commitment to making sustainable funerals available to more families rather than treating green funerals as a premium niche product.
One of Gordon Tulley's most significant contributions to environmentally responsible funeral care has been the development of the Respect EveryBody Shroud,
first introduced in 2011. What began as an innovative alternative to the traditional coffin has since become an internationally recognised product, supplied to numerous funeral businesses overseas and used by hundreds of funeral directors throughout the UK who are committed to providing greener funeral options.
The Respect EveryBody Shroud was designed specifically for both natural burial and cremation. It incorporates a unique integrated carrying system with a dedicated pouch for its reusable interregnal bodyboard, enabling the deceased to be carried safely and with dignity while significantly reducing the amount of timber and other materials traditionally used in funeral products.
Following comprehensive testing in 2012, the shroud was confirmed as fit for purpose for funeral use.
The associated ChargerBoard system is reported to be the only shroud support system approved for cremation following testing by the Funeral Furnishing Manufacturers' Association (FFMA) and subsequent independent trials.
According to Respect, regional operational studies comparing 100 cremations using the Respect Greener Cremation Shrouds with 100 cremations using conventional foil-lined coffins from the same manufacturer demonstrated significant environmental benefits. The study reported that cremations using the Respect shroud consistently completed more quickly than comparable coffin cremations. While the industry average cremation time is around 90 minutes, one cremation using the Respect system was completed in just 57 minutes, with average cremation times reduced by approximately 22–25%.
Respect also reports that independently controlled laboratory testing involving more than 100 coffins & 100 cremations using Respects Shrouds demonstrated a substantial reduction in residual coffin ash. Families receiving cremated remains following use of the Respect Greener Cremation Shroud received, on average, only 2.78% coffin-derived ash, compared with the more typical 5–8% associated with conventional coffins. Some alternative environmentally marketed coffins, including banana leaf coffins tested in the study, reportedly contributed over 10% coffin ash to the cremated remains.
If these independently reported results are considered alongside the practical benefits of the system, the environmental advantages are considerable:
Reduced energy consumption through shorter cremation times.
Lower carbon emissions associated with reduced furnace operation.
Significantly less material entering the cremation process.
Lower volumes of residual coffin ash returned to families.
A dignified, practical and environmentally responsible alternative for both cremation and natural burial.
The development of the Respect EveryBody Shroud represents not simply a new funeral product, but an innovation that has influenced greener funeral practice across the UK and internationally. By combining practical design, environmental responsibility and independently tested performance,
Gordon Tulley has demonstrated how innovation can reduce the environmental impact of funeral care without compromising dignity or the quality of service provided to bereaved families.
Equally important is Gordon Tulley's long-standing commitment to educating the public about environmentally responsible funeral choices.
His businesses have consistently promoted transparency, family involvement and informed decision-making, helping many people understand that meaningful funerals can also be environmentally responsible.
The business has already earned significant recognition within the profession, including Good Funeral Awards recognition,
Best Green Funeral Director, Natural Death Centre recommendation and other industry awards.
These acknowledgements reflect a sustained commitment to innovation, environmental stewardship and compassionate service rather than a single successful initiative.
For its leadership in sustainable funeral care, its long-term commitment to protecting the natural environment, and its continued innovation in making greener funerals practical and affordable across the UK,
I believe Respect Group is a worthy recipient of the Green Company of the Year Award.
