Promoting sustainable Promoting sustainable consumption amongst consumption amongst

smallsmall businesses businesses

Brendan TurveyBrendan Turvey

The Business Environment PartnershipThe Business Environment Partnership

Success and Sustainability InitiativeSuccess and Sustainability Initiative

• Businesses are consumers too !

• What BEP are doing about it

• Successes – the ‘using less saves you money’

argument and CSR

• Success and Sustainability

• Challenges

OutlineOutline

Businesses are consumers too !Businesses are consumers too !

What do businesses consume ?– energy– water– raw materials– consumables (paper !)– furniture– PC’s / office equipment equipment– food

But what about small businesses ?

The drivers

• big companies have the CSR driver / IIP / employee schemes

• what about smaller companies ?

• there are 294,000 SME’s in Scotland alone….

• how do we regulate these businesses ?

• how do we motivate them to change ?

Business consumption

‘Policies for Sustainable Consumption: a report to the Sustainable Development Commission’ (2003) Tim Jackson & Laurie Michaelis

– Display consumption and status seeking– Consumer lock in (water dispensers !?)– Consumer goods and business identity– Institutional lock in

‘I don’t want to be seen to rock the boat’

‘But we’ve always done it that way’

‘The boss will never let us do that…..’

The BEP story

• Established in 1997• Focus on SMEs• 14 advisers across East of Scotland• Non profit making• Principal funders: Scottish

Executive, Scottish Enterprise and Europe

• Good environmental management makes good business sense…

Our SponsorsOur Sponsors

• Waste Minimisation / Environmental Management

• Student Placement Programme

• ISO14001 Programme

• Success & Sustainability

• Business and Biodiversity

The BEP pipelineThe BEP pipeline

Economic & Social Benefits

Economic & Social Benefits

• 1089 companies: £13.2m pa realised cost savings

• £44m new sales opportunities; £36m realised

• 85 companies certified to ISO14001 / GTBS / PAS

• 415 students placed

• 55 ‘green’ jobs created / many others safeguarded

• Increased awareness of employees

Environmental Benefits

Environmental Benefits

Since 2003:

• 88,288 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill

• 7,223,562 kWh energy saved

• 16,312 tonnes of CO2 saved

• 48,574m3 of water / effluent saved

• Based in West Lothian

• Printing company

• Achieved ISO 14001 in 2002

• £45,000 savings per annum

• New inks and processes

• Based in West Lothian

• Printing company

• Achieved ISO 14001 in 2002

• £45,000 savings per annum

• New inks and processes

Pillans and Waddies Pillans and Waddies printersprinters

• Major conference facility

• ISO 14001 2001

• Savings of £60,000 on

energy since 1999

• Saved £4,000 on waste

• 30% reduction in paper

• GTBS Gold

• Major conference facility

• ISO 14001 2001

• Savings of £60,000 on

energy since 1999

• Saved £4,000 on waste

• 30% reduction in paper

• GTBS Gold

Edinburgh Edinburgh International International Conference CentreConference Centre

Success and Sustainability

• Established 2000• Currently funded by a Sustainable Action

Grant from the Scottish Executive• Aim to provide further, flexible advice, on

broader sustainability issues• Over 100 companies assisted• Types of projects:

– Biodiversity– Packaging– New product development – General sustainability reviews– Renewables

Case study Pentland Plants

• Existing BEP client• Significant site

energy use• Current heating

costs £300k per annum

• Looking for more sustainable options

• Biomass boiler system• Link to woodfuel cluster• Contact with local

supplier of woodchip• Feasibility study• £150k cost saving

• 2000 tonnes of CO2

Case study Blinkbonny Quarry

• Student placement• Research on use for dust• Soil remineralisation• Market valued at £250k• Cost saving £72k per

annum

Biodust A natural product from the Scottish Borders

Case study: Emtelle

• Biodiversity review Feb 04• £3,000 investment on tree

planting at Jedburgh site• 400 trees being planted,

involving local schools• Pathwork at Hawick site

Case study:Canmore Housing

• New office building

• Installation of solar hot water system

Case study:Renewable Devices

• 7 EPP students• Planning guidance• PAN appendix 2005• SSE contract £9.2

million• 8 new jobs

Case study:Hillcrest Housing

• Sustainability review• Cost savings (energy)• Sustainable development policy• Design guide• Communities Scotland• Sustainability focus group

- Recycled paper- Fair trade tea and coffee- Green energy supply

Challenges

• How do we encourage small businesses to change consumption ?

• Communication• Incentives ?• Provision of wider support to

businesses (not just energy and water)• Integration of business support service

– the ‘one stop shop’ ?

Brendan Turvey Business Sustainability Adviser

Business Environment Partnership42/3 Hardengreen Business Park

Dalkeith, EH22 3NU

T: 0131 561 6262

E: brendan@thebep.org.ukW: www.thebep.org.uk

Brendan Turvey Business Sustainability Adviser

Business Environment Partnership42/3 Hardengreen Business Park

Dalkeith, EH22 3NU

T: 0131 561 6262

E: brendan@thebep.org.ukW: www.thebep.org.uk