05 March 2010

Steps to a smaller carbon footprint

With the introductory phase of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme due to begin in April, large businesses with high CO2 emissions are already setting about reducing their carbon footprint. By becoming more energy efficient, they can reduce the amount of CO2 emission allowances they need to purchase and increase the likelihood that they will be repaid more than they pay out.  Smaller businesses that will not be affected by the mandatory scheme can also reap rewards by going green.

Business Link Northwest offers free advice, guidance and information to help companies reduce their carbon footprint.  In turn, businesses can make financial savings, look after the environment and enhance their green credentials, potentially opening up more public sector procurement opportunities.

A Business Link adviser will carry out an initial assessment by telephone to identify the areas of business that could benefit from some attention.  The company will then be brokered on to the relevant organisation, which will offer more in-depth support that focuses specifically on the areas identified.

Improving your Resource Efficiency (IYRE), funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), provides a range of support to help businesses reduce their environmental impact and can be accessed via Business Link Northwest.

IYRE imparts free, independent advice to help businesses reduce their use of raw materials, consumables, energy and water.  It can also offer help with sourcing environmental products and services, identifying the right environmental technology, accessing grant funding, submitting planning applications and give advice to companies looking to make use of renewable energy sources.

Donna Edwards, operations director at Business Link Northwest said: “The phrases ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘energy efficiency’ have crept into everyday vocabulary as people and businesses increasingly recognise the importance of looking after the environment, not to mention the financial savings that can be made as a result.

“Ultimately, we want to help as many businesses as possible to use their resources more efficiently, using less to make more and reducing their residual waste.   We are also keen to raise awareness of eco-innovation, as plenty of business opportunities lie in the development of new products, processes and services that include low carbon technology and services, product design using recycled materials and low or zero waste products.”

For more information, please visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northwest/environment, telephone 0845 00 66 888 or email info@businesslinknw.co.uk

-ENDS-

Press enquiries to:

The Write Angle on 01772 250505
Laura Hutchings laura@writeanglepr.co.uk
Kelly Livesey  kelly@writeanglepr.co.uk 

Notes to Editors:
Recognising that businesses don’t just operate ‘9 to 5’ the service can be accessed by telephone on 0845 00 66 888 and email at info@businesslinknw.co.uk from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, as well as from 8am to 2pm at weekend and bank holidays.

Its award-winning website at www.businesslink.gov.uk/northwest contains a wealth of information from tools to create contracts of employment to guides on sales, marketing and finance.

Business Link Northwest is an independent, business support and information service, managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, providing relevant and up-to-date guidance for all businesses in the North West, and people thinking of starting their own company in the region.

Business Link Northwest is an impartial business support and information service, available to businesses and individuals in the Northwest.

The service is completely free to use and can be accessed via the telephone, online, or face-to-face for more in-depth support.

It provides relevant up-to-date information on business issues such as starting or expanding a business, managing people, marketing, finance, technology and exporting.

Regional Development Agencies across the UK assumed full responsibility for the management of the Business Link service in the regions from the Small Business Service in April 2005.

The new one-stop regional Business Link service (Business Link Northwest), managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), replaced five sub-regional Business Link organisations on 2nd April 2007.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the competitiveness of its businesses, people and places. Utilising our technical expertise and strategic influence, we help the region’s 250,000+ businesses to develop and grow, as well as supporting international trade and encouraging inward investment.

For further information and to view previous press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk/press