Mathew Stewart – chief executive of SunEnviro based at Cedars Park in Stowmarket – said he “never expected” the honour.
SunEnviro – which was founded in 2020 and includes SunAggregates, SunSkips and SunDemolition – has seven sites across the East of England with sites in Haverhill, Ipswich, Thetford, Cambridge, Norwich and Hoddesdon.
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In 2024, the firm acquired Pips Skips – a family-run skip hire business based in Dereham.
Last year it invested £1m in a new wash plant at its Thetford site.
Mat was admitted to the City of London through historic livery company the Worshipful Company of Paviors.
Ceremonies take place regularly at Guildhall and recognise people from a wide range of professional backgrounds linked to traditions that have shaped the City for centuries.
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The Worshipful Company of Paviors links back to the construction and maintenance of London’s roads and pavements.
Mat’s admission was through a rigorous process which includes an interview by a panel.
Candidates are asked about their business background, reputation, and charitable involvement before being accepted.
“You have to fill out numerous forms, talk about what you do, what your business does, and how you help other people,” he said.
“Then you’re interviewed and, if you’re accepted, you go through a ceremony where you read an oath and you’re formally admitted.”
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Membership allows him to attend talks, functions, and civic events – including the Lord Mayor’s Parade – and to connect with professionals across engineering, construction, and infrastructure.
“It’s really about being a livery man,” he said. “There’s a lot of focus on engineering, on infrastructure, and on meeting people from across different trades.”
Mat has spent nearly three decades working in the environmental services sector.
He holds professional competency certifications in road haulage, special waste, and transfer stations, and is a member of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM).
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He has supported various charities in recent years including East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and GeeWizz – a charity for disadvantaged children.
The Freedom gives him a number of ancient privileges.
“I never imagined I’d end up with the right to lead sheep across London Bridge,” he joked.
“I just need to work out when that’s actually going to be useful.”
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