Use this page to explore how you can make your business more sustainable in response to the Climate Emergency.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up over 99% of Bath’s businesses and SMEs account for 37% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. For many smaller businesses, transitioning to net zero is a daunting task.
However, a wide range of support is available to help Bath and North East Somerset businesses cut carbon emissions, build resilience to future climate challenges and lower operating costs.
Visit our Invest in B&NES website to learn more about the services and support on offer to businesses in Bath and North East Somerset.
The West of England Green Business Support Hub is committed to driving increased levels of sustainability in the West of England.
Bath Business Improvement District (BID) is a member's community that funds improvements to Bath City Centre. If you become a member, there are also services to help with financial savings, waste and recycling.
- The Carbon Trust provides support and advice to businesses that want to calculate and reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint and save money
- Future Leap Network is a membership-based business network that delivers weekly sustainability-related events and networking opportunities
- Travel West provides business support and grants for sustainable travel options. They provide journey planning tools, regular updates about sustainable travel initiatives and resources for businesses, developers and schools
- The UK Business Climate Hub is a one stop shop for SMEs seeking net zero guidance
There are several ways you can find out about renewable energy and why it's important. Consider some of the following actions for your business:
- Look into switching your energy provider and use comparison sites to find the best green energy tariff for your business.
- Investigate local renewable energy providers like Bath and West Community Energy and Keynsham Community Energy
- Explore the Energy Saving Trust and the Centre for Sustainable Energy to find out how renewable energy can benefit your business and community
Using technology to its full potential in your business can minimise the need for employee travel, reducing your carbon footprint and improving staff wellbeing.
The following actions can help to minimise the need for travel:
- Introducing flexible work arrangements
- Investing in online conferencing and remote working solutions
- Investing in cloud-based file-sharing systems to make document sharing and collaborative working easier
Encourage your staff to behave sustainably in and out of work by offering incentives and encouraging cultural changes.
The following ideas can help you to encourage sustainable behaviour in the workplace:
- Avoid single person car journeys on business travel and incentivise car sharing or offer a cycle to work scheme
- Get support to conduct a travel plan audit to better understand your workforce's travel behaviour
- Ensure you have a recycling station set up in shared areas
- Consider becoming a paperless office
- Use public transport, walk or cycle wherever possible. Travel West offer free sustainable travel advice and support to Businesses in the West of England.
- Get help to replace or adapt your vehicle so that it meets the required emission standards if you regularly have to travel through the Clean Air Zone
- Encourage sustainable travel on holiday by offering a sustainable travel leave scheme
Consider approaching your supply chain about their sustainability practices in the following ways:
- The British Business Bank have helpful information and resources, to help build a green supply chain
- Ask your supply chain if there are more sustainable or local options for deliveries. Explore schemes like last-mile deliveries, offered by local services such as Three Bags Full
- Reduce any unnecessary packaging and ask your suppliers to do the same
Disposing of your business waste responsibly is an essential step towards becoming more sustainable. It can also make your business more profitable by reducing waste and ensuring materials are used more efficiently.
You can find out about the many ways you can manage your business waste sustainably and arrange a collection by visiting our Business Recycling and Waste webpages. You can also check our Simpler Recycling page to ensure that your business is compliant with the latest government legislation.