A Gloucestershire company has won the Insurance Company of the Year award at the Better Society Awards for the second year running.

Ecclesiastical Insurance Group insures around 40,000 UK charities, providing advice on areas including risk management, health and safety, running events and using volunteers.

As a commercial company with a charitable purpose, Ecclesiastical marked a major milestone in March, 2016 when it celebrated hitting its target of donating £50million to good causes in three years.

That figure has since risen to £67million and the specialist insurer was recently named as one of the top five corporate donors in the 2016-17 UK Guide to Company Giving, finishing higher in the rankings than global giants such as HSBC and the Marks and Spencer Group.

David Britton, charity director for Ecclesiastical said: "These awards are a celebration of the commitment businesses are showing to supporting charities and making a difference to society and communities.

"It is an outstanding achievement for us to pick up this prize again and recognises the fact that the charity sector sees us as much more than just an insurance company."

Ecclesiastical was also a finalist in the Best Scheme to Encourage Staff Fundraising category for the second successive year. As well as match funding all payroll giving, Ecclesiastical matches staff fundraising efforts and gives every employee a £125 personal grant, which can be given to any charity.

Over 60 per cent of employees gave their time volunteering too. In 2016, more than 1,000 volunteering hours helped Ecclesiastical's charity partner, the Nelson Trust, to completely refurbish its Treatment Centre in Brimscombe, Stroud.

Chris Pitt, corporate responsibility manager at Ecclesiastical, said: "We were up against some fantastic partnerships in the staff fundraising category, and I'm very proud that our MyGiving scheme was shortlisted alongside the likes of Royal Mail and the winners, Eversholt Rail, recognising the fantastic contribution of our staff."

Now in their third year, the Better Society Awards, hosted by the Better Society Network, are the showcase for excellence that celebrate the efforts that commercial companies make in order to help create a better society.

Pictured top, David Britton, charity director for Ecclesiastical, with the Better Society Award for Insurance Company of the Year. Lower picture: Ecclesiastical's corporate responsibility manager, Chris Pitt, with head of marketing, Jo Whittaker, collecting the award.