Business Environment Partnership
The Executive offered the Business Environment Partnership £49,000 in 2004-05, £48,750 in 2005-06 and £48,750 in 2006-07 for an expansion of the Success and Sustainability initiative aimed at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
This work demonstrated to business that sustainable development goes beyond waste minimisation and complying with environmental legislation - to travel, procurement, community engagement, new product development and biodiversity. The aim was to have one project in every local enterprise area in Scotland.
The main aims of the initiative over 2004-07 (following earlier work on a limited scale) were to:
- continue to expand the initiative throughout Scotland , especially in the Highlands and Islands , Dumfries and Galloway and Aberdeenshire areas;
- advise a further 60 SMEs (20 per year) until 2007 - in 2006-07 the number of new companies to be advised has been changed to 10 to allow time to revisit previous contacts, where time given was too limited to allow the client company to achieve desired changes in their business;
- provide each company with approximately 2 weeks of tailored advice; expand the services provided to include business "assists", which cover 'one-off' and shorter-term support (an 'assist' was usually 1/2 a day to a day of work);
- promote the Business Guide and use this as a tool to encourage more businesses to engage in sustainability issues;
- further develop the sustainability review and approach adopted in the business guide;
- continue to work with project partners to develop new approaches to engaging businesses in sustainability issues;
- strengthen the social aspect of the services delivered;
- investigate further the potential for integration of a sustainable development product into the business support network;
- promote the creation of new products and markets amongst SMEs.
The key difference between the Success and Sustainability Initiative and similar projects was that it was aimed solely at SMEs. It was also unique in aiming to promote the social aspects of sustainable development amongst businesses - by encouraging businesses to look at their impacts on local communities; exploring opportunities for ethical purchasing and by supporting both community and social enterprise projects.
The project included promotion through Local Authorities, the Business Gateway and other networks as appropriate; accurately recording the outcomes of the project; and continuing to work with project partners and other business support agencies.
From 2004 to 2007 there was full advice to 53 companies, and 55 half-day "assists" were completed. The project reached 14 local enterprise company areas, out of a total of 21 in Scotland.
There was assistance to a wide range of organisations, with companies from the food and drink, manufacturing, research, service, tourism, charitable and housing sectors. A wide range of support was provided, including advice on: recycling, new product development, biodiversity, procurement, carbon footprinting, renewable energy, business development, waste management and wider sustainability issues. The project produced cost savings, job creation, diversion of waste from landfill, trees planted, renewable energy systems installed, some carbon dioxide savings, and student placements in companies.
Wider outcomes include training provided to staff, awareness raising during audits, development of some new sustainable products and services, two new joint venture companies, development of a carbon footprinting tool, development of renewable energy appraisal tools, and attendance and presentations at a wide range of public sector-supported events.
With some products, such as Fairtrade tea and coffee and recycled paper, more expensive, it was a challenge to convey to the business community the message that using less resources is good for business and good for the environment. However, there are likely to be commercial benefits in the longer term, including new markets, greener image, and improved staff retention.
A Business Guide based on the experience of the earlier work on the more limited scale, using case studies generated by the project, was first launched in September 2004. Containing practical advice on sustainable development for SMEs, it was updated with new case studies and reprinted in February 2007. The Business Guide is available also from the BEP website.
The conclusion from the project was that considerations which will encourage businesses to change are rising energy and raw material costs; an efficiency drive related to competition from overseas; new legislation; supply chain pressures; increased awareness of the environment, especially climate change; personal motivation/ ethics; and positive marketing potential or niche markets.
The initiative indicated that SMEs need support focused on individual client needs, of a long-term nature, practical, focused on things which the business can change, provides training and awareness raising, and is impartial.
The project showed that SMEs look for advice on issues not delivered by existing support mechanisms, such as procurement, renewable energy, carbon footprinting and guidance on carbon offset, and biodiversity. Other streams of BEP work will learn from this initiative and provide advice in response to the business community demand which it has identified and BEP will work with others as far as possible to meet these needs.
The project steering group perceived the Success and Sustainability Initiative to be innovative, 'ahead of the game,' and an important means of trying out new approaches with businesses. It was also a valuable learning mechanism for business support advisers to explore what motivates businesses to change their ways, and to develop a more robust business support structure in Scotland.
Contact
Business Environment Partnership
Hardengreen Business Centre
Dalkeith
Midlothian
Telephone: 0131 561 6262
Website: www.thebep.org.uk