Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) and the Mayor of West Yorkshire are working towards creating a net zero carbon regional economy by 2038.
Businesses will play a vital role in this transition.
Adopting cleaner, greener strategies makes great business sense; it saves money, enhances brand image, and builds resilience to economic, social and environmental changes.
If you are wondering where to begin, here are some ideas to kick-start your journey to net zero:
Turn waste into a resource
The circular economy is a way of working that promotes the use of resources for as long as possible. Identifying ways to reuse, repair and recycle materials can help your business to reduce waste.
A local packaging manufacturer accessed consultancy support from the LEP to overcome supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The business now returns cardboard packaging from its clients directly into its supply chain, reducing the need for raw materials from external suppliers, decreasing waste and cutting costs.
Make your business more energy efficient
Businesses across the region spend significant amounts of money using energy inefficiently. A free efficiency audit from the LEP can help you identify ways to reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions and save money.
Capital grant funding is also available to help your business invest in energy-saving equipment.
Business case study: energy efficiency in practice
Excellent Relax, a Batley-based bedding manufacturer, contacted the LEP Business Support Service looking for help to reduce their operating costs and lower their environmental impact.
Following a free audit and consultancy advice, the company were able to identify the most effective energy saving opportunities.
The business then received grant funding of just under £12,000 to install a wood waste heater to reduce gas consumption and change their compressor for a variable speed drive model, reducing their electricity use.
The energy saving projects will help Excellent Relax to:
- Save an estimated £17,163 per year on their energy bills
- Reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 62.32 tonnes per year
Azeez Akudi, Operations Director of Excellent Relax explained, “We wanted to lower our carbon footprint and reduce our environmental impact but to be honest, like many businesses, saving money on our energy bills was the main reason for wanting to become more energy efficient.
Commenting on the support from the LEP, Azeez added, “without the LEP’s support, we would not have had the knowledge or the funds to invest in the new equipment. The entire process has been straightforward and our LEP account manager was always there to help and guide us through the project.
The upgrades have made a significant difference to our energy bills and carbon emissions and we’re now keen to explore the benefits of solar panel installation.”
If you would like to learn more about the support available to help your business reduce costs, cut carbon emissions and tackle the climate emergency, visit the-lep.com/
The REBiz project is part-funded by the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
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