Smart grants: Jul 2024
Community and environment charity Groundwork East has partnered with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, along with the county’s other local authorities, to deliver free and impartial expert advice to help businesses and organisations save energy, reduce their emissions and establish tailored decarbonisation plans.
The new Net Zero Business Advice Service will provide free support to enable businesses, the voluntary sector and other organisations working within Suffolk to understand their greenhouse gas emissions, to set a plan to reduce these and access grant funding to implement carbon reduction actions.
With several energy efficiency and sustainability grant schemes now in place across Suffolk, this Net Zero Suffolk scheme will help organisations make informed decisions about which carbon reduction solution is best for them.
Advisors from Groundwork East will be able to identify new actions for organisations or establish the anticipated cost and carbon savings that planned actions will achieve; whether this is a switch to a low carbon heating system, installation of solar PV or focusing on upgrading to lower polluting vehicles.
These actions will support Suffolk’s businesses to meet the UK Government’s net zero target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by 2050. Suffolk County Council also aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and is now asking its own supply chain to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and wider environmental impacts.
- More information about the Net Zero Business Advisor can be found at carboncharter.org/suffolk-business-consultancy
- Organisations can call 04173 350370 or email netzerosuffolk@groundwork.org.uk to speak to a Net Zero consultant.
Cllr Daniel Potter, Babergh District Council cabinet member for environment, said:
“This partnership with Groundwork East and the Net Zero Business Advisor Service will help pave the way for success and make the process of reducing emissions simple and easy to follow.”
Cllr Tim Weller, Mid Suffolk District Council cabinet member for environment, culture and wellbeing, said:
“Businesses and organisations in our district will play a vital role in helping us achieve our net zero goals.
“We all need to play our part to reduce emissions and this partnership is a step toward achieving our common goal.”
Amy Coulter, sustainable business team manager at Groundwork East said:
“Our team of sustainability consultants works closely with organisations to help determine, understand and meet their sustainability, net zero and carbon reduction goals.
“We know that managing environmental impacts is now becoming a requirement to do business. This service will allow our experienced and impartial consultants to support organisations in Suffolk to reduce emissions and reach Net Zero.”