Small and medium businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire have been urged to take advantage of the increasing number of support schemes to develop a green sustainable future.
To coincide with COP26 in Glasgow and the COP26 Regional Roadshows in Coventry on Wednesday and Thursday, climate change is under the spotlight in the latest Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub SmartRegion report which gathers information from its business engagements as well as statistics and data from Coventry City Council, CWLEP, Warwickshire County Council and other organisations.
Business support organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire have a variety of funds and support programmes available for SMEs to develop green, sustainable, innovative, and low carbon initiatives and opportunities to help towards achieving net zero targets.
One SME to have taken advantage of the support available is Coventry manufacturer Sarginsons Industries Ltd who worked with the business support ecosystem to receive help with a £130,000 investment in new machinery to help reduce their carbon emissions.
Anthony Evans, managing director at Sarginsons Industries Ltd, said: “Green growth leads to cost reductions and efficiencies for businesses over the long term which can quite often be overlooked in the promotion of sustainability programmes.
“SMEs have adapted to become more aligned with green business practices because of the enhanced awareness of sustainability programmes which has led to many investing in capital investment, in addition to enrolling on the sustainability programmes which are available in Coventry and Warwickshire.
“Businesses are already currently able to take advantage of many of the opportunities from the collaborative work of business support organisations in relation to the clean growth and green agenda although enhanced networking and communication within the organisations and beyond would further improve take-up of this support.”
There are a number of green business programmes available to help Coventry and Warwickshire SMEs including the Coventry & Warwickshire Green Businesses Programme which encourages SMEs to increase businesses resources and energy efficiency as well as maximising low carbon opportunities, and the Net Zero Hub from the British Chambers of Commerce and O2 which provides insights, tools and support to help businesses build a greener future along with events, webinars and a green savings calculator to support SMEs.
Craig Humphrey, managing director of the CWLEP Growth Hub, said a green sustainable agenda was a top priority for business support organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire.
He said: “Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategic Reset Framework recognised the importance of encouraging a green recovery across our economy, and to embrace new and innovative low carbon technologies by focusing on driving the green recovery and new modes of mobility, ensuring future energy resources, and delivering against the wider climate change and sustainability agenda.
“Business support organisations are joined up in Coventry and Warwickshire to provide SMEs with the help and information they need to make this become a reality.
“There is a wide number of resources available and I would encourage SMEs to get in touch with the Growth Hub so that our team can put you in touch with the programme which is right for your business.”
Businesses and investors can sign-up for the COP Regional Roadshows in Coventry at Coventry University Technology Park to coincide with the Transport and Built Environment days of COP26, please visit: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/COP26regionalroadshow
Caption: Craig Humphrey, managing director of the CWLEP Growth Hub