Islington Council partners with ReLondon to help small businesses go greener
Islington Council is determined to make the borough a cleaner, greener, healthier place, but can’t do this alone. It is vital that local people and businesses play their part, and that is why the council is partnering with experts ReLondon to provide grants to businesses to become greener.
Free advice and financial support is also on offer to micro and small businesses as part of Islington Council’s initiative to help them adopt more environmentally sustainable ways of operating by reducing waste and finding new ways to use resources better.
ReLondon is already providing free advice to micro and small businesses in the borough via workshops and one-to-one sessions, and in the New Year it will start inviting applications for grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 to help local entrepreneurs turn their businesses green.
Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council's Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: "We know that we can only truly tackle the climate emergency together, with local people and businesses working together. The council is taking action but with 92% of Islington's emissions outside of our control, we must do more.
"We are supporting local businesses with the financial support and expert advice they need to adopt environmentally-sustainable practices early on, so they are built into the way they operate as they grow.
"This advice and grants scheme will benefit everyone living, working, shopping and doing business in Islington. The more we can reduce pollution from transporting goods into Islington when we don’t need to – and avoid throwing things away that could be re-used, recycled, shared or repaired – the better.”
The approach is sometimes known as the ‘circular economy’ model, which looks at how to get the maximum value from things by extending their lifetime for as long as possible – for example by re-using, repurposing, renting, sharing or repairing them, and avoiding the throw-away or single-use approach wherever possible.
Businesses can apply now for free advice from ReLondon to explore how the circular economy can create commercial opportunities, by reducing waste, cutting costs and even generating new revenue. And those which embrace this greener approach will be invited by ReLondon to apply for grants in the New Year.
Notes to editors
The Circular Economy Grant Scheme is open to all micro and small businesses with an Islington trading address, employing up to 49 people. Businesses can apply for free advise now on ReLondon's website.
The funds are part of the final round of business recovery grant monies, supplied by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. They are administered by Islington Council, which is distributing grants in line with its strategic priorities to create resilient local economies with strong local supply chains, increased local spend and greener businesses, all contributing towards a net-zero carbon borough by 2030.
Contact information
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