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Businesses are consumers too ! What BEP are doing about it

Promoting sustainable consumption amongst small businesses Brendan Turvey The Business Environment Partnership Success and Sustainability Initiative. Outline. Businesses are consumers too ! What BEP are doing about it Successes – the ‘using less saves you money’ argument and CSR

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Businesses are consumers too ! What BEP are doing about it

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  1. Promoting sustainable consumption amongst small businessesBrendan TurveyThe Business Environment PartnershipSuccess and Sustainability Initiative

  2. Outline • Businesses are consumers too ! • What BEP are doing about it • Successes – the ‘using less saves you money’ argument and CSR • Success and Sustainability • Challenges

  3. Businesses are consumers too ! • What do businesses consume ? • energy • water • raw materials • consumables (paper !) • furniture • PC’s / office equipment equipment • food

  4. But what about small businesses ?

  5. The drivers • big companies have the CSR driver / IIP / employee schemes • what about smaller companies ? • there are 294,000 SME’s in Scotland alone…. • how do we regulate these businesses ? • how do we motivate them to change ?

  6. Business consumption ‘Policies for Sustainable Consumption: a report to the Sustainable Development Commission’ (2003) Tim Jackson & Laurie Michaelis • Display consumption and status seeking • Consumer lock in (water dispensers !?) • Consumer goods and business identity • Institutional lock in ‘I don’t want to be seen to rock the boat’ ‘But we’ve always done it that way’ ‘The boss will never let us do that…..’

  7. The BEP story • Established in 1997 • Focus on SMEs • 14 advisers across East of Scotland • Non profit making • Principal funders: Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise and Europe • Good environmental management makes good business sense…

  8. Our Sponsors

  9. The BEP pipeline • Waste Minimisation / Environmental Management • Student Placement Programme • ISO14001 Programme • Success & Sustainability • Business and Biodiversity

  10. Economic & Social Benefits • 1089 companies: £13.2m pa realised cost savings • £44m new sales opportunities; £36m realised • 85 companies certified to ISO14001 / GTBS / PAS • 415 students placed • 55 ‘green’ jobs created / many others safeguarded • Increased awareness of employees

  11. Environmental Benefits Since 2003: • 88,288 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill • 7,223,562 kWh energy saved • 16,312 tonnes of CO2 saved • 48,574m3 of water / effluent saved

  12. Pillans and Waddies printers • Based in West Lothian • Printing company • Achieved ISO 14001 in 2002 • £45,000 savings per annum • New inks and processes

  13. Edinburgh International Conference Centre • Major conference facility • ISO 14001 2001 • Savings of £60,000 on energy since 1999 • Saved £4,000 on waste • 30% reduction in paper • GTBS Gold

  14. Success and Sustainability • Established 2000 • Currently funded by a Sustainable Action Grant from the Scottish Executive • Aim to provide further, flexible advice, on broader sustainability issues • Over 100 companies assisted • Types of projects: • Biodiversity • Packaging • New product development • General sustainability reviews • Renewables

  15. Case study Pentland Plants • Existing BEP client • Significant site energy use • Current heating costs £300k per annum • Looking for more sustainable options

  16. Biomass boiler system • Link to woodfuel cluster • Contact with local supplier of woodchip • Feasibility study • £150k cost saving • 2000 tonnes of CO2

  17. Case study Blinkbonny Quarry • Student placement • Research on use for dust • Soil remineralisation • Market valued at £250k • Cost saving £72k per annum Biodust A natural product from the Scottish Borders

  18. Case study: Emtelle • Biodiversity review Feb 04 • £3,000 investment on tree planting at Jedburgh site • 400 trees being planted, involving local schools • Pathwork at Hawick site

  19. Case study:Canmore Housing • New office building • Installation of solar hot water system

  20. Case study:Renewable Devices • 7 EPP students • Planning guidance • PAN appendix 2005 • SSE contract £9.2 million • 8 new jobs

  21. Case study:Hillcrest Housing • Sustainability review • Cost savings (energy) • Sustainable development policy • Design guide • Communities Scotland • Sustainability focus group - Recycled paper - Fair trade tea and coffee - Green energy supply

  22. Challenges • How do we encourage small businesses to change consumption ? • Communication • Incentives ? • Provision of wider support to businesses (not just energy and water) • Integration of business support service – the ‘one stop shop’ ?

  23. Brendan Turvey Business Sustainability AdviserBusiness Environment Partnership42/3 Hardengreen Business Park Dalkeith, EH22 3NU T: 0131 561 6262 E: brendan@thebep.org.ukW: www.thebep.org.uk

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