Green for Business is Good for Business

The Green for Micro programme from Local Enterprise Office Dublin City offers a free two-day review by a specialist eco-consultant

Consumers are now demanding change, with half of people recently surveyed stating they want to know more about the impact their purchases have on the planet. If that isn’t a good enough reason to embrace sustainability in your small business, making good business and environmental sense surely is.

With climate change, changing regulations and rising resource costs, adopting a more eco-friendly approach is the logical way forward. It’s not just government policy, expectations are also changing in businesses as companies embrace more corporate social responsibility. Green credentials are now not just an add-on for businesses of all sizes – they are a must have.

Going green can help reduce costs and can also improve your bottom line. Circular Economy is a system that designs out waste and gets the most from resources. This can open up opportunities for additional and higher value products and services, as well as increase access to new customers.

Sustainability is often quite a theoretical concept, and many small businesses just don’t know where to start. The good news is that there is help in the form of a free programme called Green for Micro from Local Enterprise Offices.

If you fall into the micro enterprise category of under 10 employees, you’re eligible for a free audit of your current ‘green’ status. With the roll-out of the programme by Local Enterprise Office Dublin City, small firms are encouraged to apply for the free two-day review provided by a specialist eco-consultant. It is particularly suited to micro businesses in construction and the built environment, retail, manufacturing, textiles and fashion, food, electronics, plastics, and packaging.

What’s the programme all about?

A mentor will be assigned to you, who will review your practices, make recommendations and outline practical steps your business can take, as well as providing technical support. Areas the consultant will look at include resource efficiency, from simple things like changing light bulbs to LEDs. They’ll help you understand your carbon footprint, and assist you in implementing an environmental management system. You’ll be given a list of opportunities, with details of the costs and long-term paybacks.

Entrepreneurs need the buy-in of their staff to make the plan work, so you’ll be shown how to set up a ‘Green Champion’ to monitor your use of water, energy and materials in order to reduce consumption and reach your targets.

According to Greg Swift, Head of Local Enterprise Office Dublin City: “Green for Micro is a win-win for businesses, the consumer and the planet. If you’re a small business who could do with a nudge to help you along the road to sustainability, Green for Micro could be the answer.”

To find out more, go to www.localenterprise.ie/Green