Supporting Businesses to Cut Carbon Footprint

South Tyneside Council has launched a new toolkit providing advice and guidance to small businesses and groups on how they can save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.

The Climate Change Business Toolkit offers useful information on how to reduce their energy costs, with information on monitoring bills, calculating carbon footprints, energy efficiency, minimising consumption as well as tips on generating energy onsite.

The toolkit will be further developed in future to include sections on electric vehicles and transport, food waste, recycling and the circular economy as well as adaptation and resilience.

It can be used as a resource for small businesses, groups and organisations, ranging from charities and community centres to churches and schools, and is available on the Invest South Tyneside website at Climate Change Business Toolkit: Overview - Invest South Tyneside

South Tyneside Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019, pledging to take all necessary steps to become carbon neutral by 2030. This included launching Sustainable South Tyneside - the Council's Climate Change strategy - and associated five-year action plan setting out how the Council aims to achieve its ambitions.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, said: "This fantastic new toolkit provides businesses and groups with practical advice and guidance all in one place to support businesses and groups about the measures they can implement to help save energy and reduce their carbon emissions and move towards a greener, cleaner future.

"This represents another step towards realising our ambition of a Sustainable South Tyneside and demonstrates the Council's commitment to supporting residents and businesses to be financially secure and on their journey towards carbon neutrality."

The Council is also a member of the UK100 pledge, where local authorities commit to do everything they can to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work with residents and businesses to bring the wider community's emissions in line with Net Zero as soon as possible.

The Climate Change Business Toolkit also supports the South Tyneside Pledge which businesses and organisations can sign up to and commit to help bring about positive change in the Borough. The Pledge aims to boost local economic activity, reduce health inequalities, cut carbon emissions and enhance civic pride.

Councillor Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth and Transport, said: "Tackling the climate change emergency by reducing greenhouses gases also offers local businesses the opportunity to realise the co-benefits, such as reduced energy bills, an improved working environment and a better chance of attracting and retaining customers who understand the importance of taking environmental action.

"I look forward to seeing how this toolkit benefits local businesses and the part it plays in helping to bring about real change for the people of South Tyneside."

For further information about the Climate Change Business Toolkit or more details about the South Tyneside Pledge visit www.investsouthtyneside.com