If you’re one of the more than 8,600 businesses operating in Wealden, there are support services available to you to help you on your net zero carbon journey.
These services can walk you through the practical steps to reduce your carbon footprint and how this can drive business growth and increase resilience for the future of your business.
Climate Change and Business
Alongside individual action, businesses have a part to play in helping Wealden district become net zero by 2050.
In 2021 30% of Wealden’s district wide emissions were from business operations.
- 3% commercial
- 8% industry
- 19% agriculture
We have already committed to reducing the environmental impact of our own buildings, operations and transport. However, to achieve our net zero goal and help prevent the severe effects of Climate Change we all need to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. Currently the commercial and industrial organisations in Wealden contribute at least 11% of the district greenhouse gas emissions. The council is keen to support local businesses to drive forward the transition to a net zero carbon economy through promoting local support and grant funding opportunities.
Climate Change poses a significant risk to business operations. This may include operational costs and physical impacts to the business e.g. flooding. This operational risk can mean it’s important to take action to prepare for the effects of Climate Change.
If you’re unsure how your organisation can respond to events, there is support available with advice and ideas for simple and substantial steps your organisation can take (see below).
Wealden net zero opportunities: advantages of going renewable
The video below, produced by Clarity Video, highlights the advantages of setting a net zero goal for your business, today.
As one of the more than 8,600 businesses in Wealden, we ask you to unite with us in enhancing the quality of life and work in our district. Regardless of the size of your business, your contributions hold the potential to significantly influence the future of our low carbon economy and community.
Being a green business that prioritises environmental sustainability, you can:
- Contribute to safeguarding the planet for future generations
- Explore promising prospects for business expansion within the emerging green economy
- Save money on energy costs
- Attract new customers/expand your customer base
You can mitigate the impact of increasing energy costs by cutting down on your energy consumption. This could involve:
- Installing insulation
- Draught proofing
- Extra window glazing
- Switching to less carbon intensive heating
- Installing LED lighting
- Generating renewable electricity
Businesses are facing increasingly higher utility bills due to volatility in the energy market.
The Climate Change Levy has also imposed an additional cost on small and medium enterprises – which are the vast majority of businesses in Wealden – that rely on non-renewable energy sources such as gas.
Other methods of reducing your businesses carbon footprint, which may be simpler than you think, include:
- Sourcing goods and services locally
- Limiting business travel
- Removing all unnecessary packaging from your products
Consumers are increasingly selective, prioritising “green” products sourced from businesses demonstrating active efforts to mitigate their environmental footprint.
Furthermore, the more environmentally conscious your business is the greater its competitive edge when tendering for contracts. Environmental and social governance (ESG) considerations are now standard in most tender processes, with contractors expecting evidence of environmental impact reduction strategies as integral to successful submissions.
Beyond unlocking new avenues for business growth, integrating robust green initiatives into your brand identity can enhance your ability to attract top-tier talent, and can improve staff morale and productivity.
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) dictate that landlords are unable to lease properties to new tenants or extend existing tenancies if the property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating falls below E. If you are a landlord and lease a commercial property in Wealden make sure you are complying with the MEES regulations.
For more information on this see our Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards advice page.
Business Support Services
Clean Growth UK is a university-led business network that catalyses clean and green business innovation and growth.
Open to any business with a commitment to taking action on Climate Change, you can get access to net zero workshops, a carbon calculator, and university expertise and facilities to develop low carbon business ideas – from new products or services to transforming systems and processes for net zero.
Once signed up as a member, you also have access to their funding tool.
The East Sussex Business Hub has been set up as a gateway to accessing different programmes of support available to independent businesses in East Sussex, as well as providing some online training, support, resources, and a community of other like-minded business owners.
Join this hub to find out more, including:
- One 2 One Business Health Checks (free for business owners in East Sussex)
- Big Ambitions: A fully funded programme with up to 18 hours of one to one advice from a team of specialists and small business expert advisors for local businesses looking to grow
- Ready to Grow: A series of training workshops for businesses in their first 3 years of trading – delivered by small business specialists – plus one to one support.
- Free Online Courses
- Update on other local supports
- A community of independent business owners
- Resources to help you grow
The Federation of Small Businesses have designed their sustainability hub to support you at key points on your journey, whether you need to make sense of the carbon jargon or you’re ready to take the next step.
You’ll find top tips, advice, small business stories, and where you can go for further guidance.
The Carbon Trust provides resources for business to help take advantage of the opportunities Climate Change may provide, and to improve the sustainability of their operations. They also offer a free carbon calculator for selected emission sources.
The UK Business Climate Hub is a collaboration between the UK Government, businesses and business groups across the UK.
The Hub is the UK partner of the SME Climate Hub, the global initiative which empowers small and medium-sized enterprises to take climate action.
Why not start by looking at their 7 Steps to Sustainability and take action today?
Energy Saving Trust supports communities, local authorities, supply chain and businesses of all sizes, enabling them to play their part in building a sustainable, energy efficient future.
For details of energy efficient plant, machinery and energy saving products for businesses and the public sector, see the Energy Technology List. The ETL features products such as boilers, electric motors, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.
Funding Opportunities
Please see here our page for business grants, loans and funding.
Keep an eye on this web page for future announcements of available net zero funding for your business.
Grant Funding
The Rural Business Grants Programme delivers grants to rural Small or Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) in the Rother and Wealden district areas.
Businesses can apply for grants of up to 50% of the cost of capital projects. The programme will be divided between two separate pots of funding:
- Small Grants – grants from £2,500 up to £15,000
- Large Grants – grants from £15,000 up to £50,000
The Community Energy Fund (CEF) follows the success of the former Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) and expands its scope to include urban areas.
The Fund can support projects under two broad headings: Community energy asset projects (such as renewable or low carbon energy, electric vehicles) or community energy efficiency or advice projects.
Funding is not available for capital works, equipment or service delivery, and cannot be used to cover costs incurred prior to the grant offer.
Loan schemes that may be available for funding energy-efficiency projects and promoting environmentally sustainable growth include:
- Funding Options Green Finance Marketplace can be used to compare SME banking products. Other high street banks also offer ‘green’ loans.
- The Recovery Loan Scheme can provide SMEs with up to £2 million as a term loan, overdraft, invoice finance or asset finance.
Opportunities for social enterprises, charities and community organisations:
- Social enterprises and charitable organisations could qualify for loan financing ranging from £20,000 to £150,000 through the Big Issue Invest: Big Energy Saving Loans program. These funds are earmarked for implementing energy-efficient measures and renewable energy projects.
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, domestic and small non-domestic properties may be able to benefit from:
- £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump.
- £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler – only in rural locations and properties that are not connected to the gas grid.
- £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump.
The Workplace Charging Scheme can cover up to 75% of the purchase and installation costs of electric vehicle (EV) charge points for registered businesses, charities and public sector organisations.
Temporary tax reliefs until March 2026 mean limited companies paying corporation tax will be able to claim:
- 100% first-year relief on qualifying new main rate plant and machinery.
- 50% first-year allowance for expenditure on new special rate assets, including long-life assets such as solar panels and thermal insulation for buildings.
- Until March 2025, businesses can also reclaim 100% first year allowances for zero-emission cars and goods vehicles
Sign up to Wealden’s Business Newsletter and find out more information for how we support businesses locally.