British businesses will be able to access advice and support to reduce their energy bills while cutting their carbon emissions.
The UK Business Climate Hub, launched in August, includes a free carbon calculator and a suite of new tools to help businesses measure, track, and report on their emissions and save money by using less energy. It offers detailed advice on everything from sourcing products from green suppliers and reducing emissions from freight and logistics to the most cost-effective ways of installing solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
Research shows that such measures can save companies on their overheads. For example:
- switching to EVs can not only cut running costs but also lower servicing and maintenance costs by around 40% compared to petrol or diesel cars;
- with up to half of companies’ overall electricity bill coming from lighting, making changes such as switching to LED bulbs can help shave up to 40% off bills; and
- giving drivers fuel efficiency training can help save companies an average of 15% on fuel use and carbon emissions in transporting goods. The new support is aimed particularly at 5.5 million small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK, with business and industry accounting for around 25% of emissions. Research shows that 90% of SMEs are keen to tackle climate change but find it difficult to know how or where to start to find the right solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. Studies also show 85% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business with a reputation for sustainability, meaning going green can help grow the economy. See: [One-stop-shop to help businesses save money and go green - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/one-stop-shop-to-help-businesses-save-money-and-go-green)
New data from the Office for National Statistics suggests that UK businesses are continuing to slow down recruitment, with job vacancies falling by 63,000 between March and May.
Last week, the Chancellor unveiled her Spending Review setting out how government departments will allocate money over the coming years. While much of the focus was on large-scale public services like the NHS and schools, there are some important signals here for businesses to take note of - both in terms of opportunity and outlook.