Adapting to climate change - the South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SWCCIP)'s "Business & Utilities" sector group helps business understand how the markets, design and delivery for goods and service will be influenced by climate change.
Horizon South West – business access to local support and guidance via the region's partnership network of environmental business support organisations (external site).
SW Energy & Environmental Management Groups - independent forums exchanging ideas and professional advice for
managers in industry, commerce and the public sector.
Training in environmental management - The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)'s training website is a useful source of information and guidance.
ENVEC - the main annual South West event on energy & environmental management & strategic issues for managers and decision makers in all sectors.
Envirowise - in the South West - free confidential advice on waste minimisation, cleaner technology, clean design (of products), best practice, compliance and pollution prevention tailored according to your needs in the SW. Can also be accessed via the Environment & Energy Helpline on 0800 585 794.
Envision - environmental advice for business delivered by a partnership of Global Action Plan, Groundwork SW, Plymouth College of Further Education, Business Link Devon and Cornwall and Envolve
Future Foundations - the sustainable construction knowledge network & charter for the South West. Includes comprehensive advice on sustainable construction.
NISP - in the South West (you will need to select the South West regional link from this web page) - the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) identifies and uses synergies and linkages between cooperating industries to improve resource efficiency and minimise waste. NISP addresses raw materials, waste, energy, water, by-products, human resources, logistics and services.
South West Rural Enterprise Gateway - gateway to support, information and funding for rural enterprises
Waste Recycling Directory for Business - recycling and waste management directory from the Environment Agency (originally set up for agricultural and horticultural businesses but includes recipients of other waste streams)
Waste Interchange - on-line service to business to help reduce waste disposal costs. This service allows businesses to advertise surplus materials and equipment which they no longer need thereby diverting items traditionally discarded by business and industry towards reuse and recycling. Businesses with waste available can register it free of charge. (Note. This service is a continuation of the original Horizon South West waste exchange)
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2. Tools
Managing Change - Resource Efficiency & Corporate Responsibility
- a unique guide that is proving popular in the UK and overseas to help managers to think creatively about how they manage change, whilst avoiding many
of the pitfalls that other companies have encountered.
This guide (the pdf version) incorporates our Worst Practice Guide - to help you identify where your own organisation might be getting it wrong (!)
and our guide on Influencing Senior Management - Getting It Wrong - to help you avoid
making mistakes when seeking top level commitment. There are also word versions of these guides available for download.
Printed copies of the complete Managing Change guide are also available free of charge to UK managers from the Government Office for the South West by e-mailing your
request and postal address to Elizabeth Cooksey: elizabeth.cooksey@gosw.gsi.gov.uk.
Effective Energy Management Guide - including quick start guide to energy
monitoring & targeting.
Adapting to the impacts of climate change - the South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SWCCIP) recommends and/or has produced a number of tools that can help businesses in the South West adapt to the changing climate.
Environmental Policy - How to write one - guidance from Envirowise (external site).
Environmental Reporting Guidelines – Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- guidelines (on Defra's website) including specific guidelines on reporting on emissions to air (including greenhouse gases), water, land, resource use and waste. For conversion factors from Defra for company reporting of greenhouse gases (GHGs), click here: GHG conversion factors. For further
management guidance on this issue see also on this website (www.oursouthwest.com) the feature item "Business Benefits of Environmental Reporting".
Greener Events Guide - a practical guide (pdf) for reducing the environmental impacts of conferences and seminars. Includes a "Greener Events Checklist" to aid discussions between event managers and venue management.
Measure and Reduce Your Carbon - free, online 'Indicator' from Envirowise helps businesses & organisations to understand where they can act to reduce their carbon footprint including carbon embedded in raw material use and operations, and capitalise on the commercial benefits that come from improved use of resources. This tool from Envirowise gives an indication of how resource use and waste contribute to a business's carbon footprint.
"NetRegs"
- Environment Agency website designed to help small businesses navigate through the maze of environmental legislation. It could save you time, money and hassle ...without drawing attention to your business.
Biodiversity Benchmark (from the Wildlife Trusts) - enables your organisation to assess its impact on the natural world and improve its contribution to the environment, whilst demonstrating commitment to biodiversity
Developing a Site Biodiversity Action Plan
- This guide in pdf format is from Earthwatch's Business & Biodiversity series funded by Defra.
Note: There are on-line energy efficiency tools and guides on
the Carbon Trust's
website. Also you can download from the Envirowise
website environmental management guides and/or case studies on benchmarking, waste minimisation, clean technology, examples of best practice etc.
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3. Government support programmes to help your business/organisation
There is a lot of help available. To help you find the appropriate programme to provide the support your business needs, click on the answer to the appropriate question listed below. The Environment & Energy Helpline (0800 585 794) - provides free expert help to save your business
money together with advice on the appropriate scheme(s) for you and on best practice. Some of the programmes come under the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Business Resource Efficiency & Waste Programme (BREW) which also features a BREW Centre for Local Authorities. NOTE: There is also a
comprehensive list of useful web links on the Environmental Business Support Organisations and Schemes links page of this website.
ENERGY, RESOURCE EFFICIENCY & CSR ADVICE/SUPPORT
Do you want to reduce the energy costs and CO2 emissions for your business? Carbon Trust, ECAs, Transport, Emissions Trading etc
Do you want support for renewable energy technologies? Renewable energy support
Do you want to increase resource efficiency &/or improve environmental management in your business? Envirowise, water saving, construction etc
Does Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Environmental Reporting concern your business? CSR and Environmental Reporting
WASTE ISSUES
Advice and support for reducing the energy costs and CO2 emissions for your business
The Carbon Trust - focussed energy efficiency advice including site visits, interest free loans and best practice guidance for specific sectors, technologies and techniques (including Degree Days for weather correcting your energy consumption data). You can also access the Carbon Trust's energy efficiency support via the Carbon Trust Helpline
on 0800 085 2005. The Carbon Trust also supports the development of low carbon technologies by supporting developers and co-investors.
Note. For specific details of the Carbon Trust's INTEREST FREE LOANS (£5,000 to £100,000 repayable over 1, 2, 3 or 4 years depending on project payback) click here: Energy Efficiency Loans. The Carbon Trust also has a special loan fund for LOCAL AUTHORITIES under a scheme
called Salix. Salix will provide a grant of typically £200,000 to kick-start an energy efficiency drive affecting all components of the partner’s estate. The partner organisation will be required to supplement this grant to make up the total “invest to save” ring-fenced fund.
See also information about Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) for energy saving investments below and, under Renewable Energy Support, the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.
Design Advice - a Carbon Trust programme for best practice in green design of new & refurbished buildings. You can also access this service via the Carbon Trust's Helpline: Tel 0800 085 2005.
ENHANCED CAPITAL ALLOWANCES (ECAs) for capital expenditure that reduces the environmental impact of energy use by your business:-
ECAs (i) Energy saving equipment - for general enquiries about Energy Saving ECAs and the Energy Technology
List telephone The Carbon Trust on 020 7170 7033 or 020 7170 7000.
ECAs (ii) Cars with Low Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Natural Gas and Hydrogen Refuelling Equipment
(web page on HMRC's website).
Transport - Act on CO2 - Department for Transport website to help buyers find out which new cars have the lowest CO2 in their class. Also includes other useful tips, advice and information relating to cars and reducing CO2.
Support for Transport Fleets & Travel Plans from The Energy Saving Trust, mainly funded by the Government (Helpline 0845 602 1425).
Specific support includes help with developing travel plans (these help people assess and simplify their travel patterns and behaviour), free fleet consultancy - if you are a
fleet operator with a fleet of more than 50 vehicles you may well qualify for three days of free advice from an independent fleet management expert. The Energy Saving Trust has funding rounds where grants are made available. These include, for example, to encourage the purchase of low carbon cars and car derived vans, grants to bus operators for purchasing low carbon
buses, or funding for alternative refuelling stations and electric recharging points. (NOTE: The PowerShift and CleanUp grant programmes are now closed.)
Freight Best Practice (Hotline 0845 877 0 877) is funded by the Department for Transport and managed by Faber Maunsell Ltd to promote operational efficiency within freight operations in England. Freight Best Practice offers FREE essential information for the freight industry covering topics such as saving fuel,
developing skills, equipment and systems, operational efficiency and performance management.
Climate Change Projects Office - DBERR/Defra initiative working with business for a cleaner planet. Contact tel: 020 7215 1608.
Carbon Offsetting - information from Defra.
UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) - in greenhouse gases - on Defra's website. Contact tel: 020 7944 8808. Note. See next link re. EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) - in greenhouse gases - on Defra's website.
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Renewable energy support
Low Carbon Buildings Programme - Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)'s scheme managed by the Energy Saving Trust supporting microgeneration technologies in the private & public sectors. Helpline 0800 915 0990.
Note. This has replaced the EST's Clear Skies & Solar Photovoltaics programmes.
Renewable Energy - Business & Investment - information on investing in renewable technologies, the available funding & grants for renewable energy and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's Capital Grants Scheme. For BERR's main renewable energy website click here: BERR - Renewable Energy
- for information on capital grants for energy crops see the Defra website - Energy Crops Scheme
Community Renewables Initiative
(CRI). This is now co-ordinated by the
Advice and support for increasing resource efficiency in your business - including water management & construction
Envirowise - Envirowise is a Government-funded programme dedicated to putting the sustainable use of resources at the heart of the UK business practice. It provides free confidential advice on waste minimisation, cleaner technology, clean design (of products), best practice, environmental management (e.g. EMS BS8555 & EMS ISO14001 - see
also EMS item in Special Topics above), compliance and pollution prevention. Can also be accessed via the Environment & Energy Helpline on 0800 585 794. There is a special regional support page for the South West.
Procurement - Action Sustainability - Action Sustainability is a Defra backed Community Interest Company set up to lead and inspire sustainable procurement. It offers specialist expertise and services to public and private sector organisations interested in improving the impact of their supply chain on society. Tel: 0800 085 4990.
WaterNet - free and easy access from the Government's Envirowise programme to the resources that can save your business money by helping you review how your water is used to best advantage.
Enhanced Capital Allowances for Water saving equipment - equipment manufacturers and suppliers are invited to apply online to have their products considered for inclusion on the Water Technology List. Businesses then buying a product from the
list will be able to claim a tax relief. General enquiries about the Water Technology List can be made to the Environment & Energy Helpline 0800 585 794 or by email to helpline@envirowise.gov.uk.
Constructing Excellence - (was Construction Best Practice Programme) DBERR focused programmes in innovation, best practice knowledge, productivity and engagement for UK construction and client organisations (for helpdesk tel: 0845 605 55 56).
Biowise - the DTI's programme promoting and supporting biotechnology. NOTE: Although the programme has now closed, you can read the achievements, technical reports etc.
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