Free webinars help businesses cut carbon and cut costs

Businesses in Greater Manchester can get expert advice on cutting their energy bills - and their carbon emissions - at a series of free webinars.

SME support programme Skills for Growth is running four Cut Carbon, Cut Costs webinars in February and March.

The Skills for Growth programme is delivered by the GC Business Growth Hub social enterprise and Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Its aim is to help firms achieve their growth ambitions by plugging skills gaps and improving training and workforce development.

The webinars will be led by the programme’s sustainability and net zero experts and will provide firms with key market intelligence around energy efficiency, sustainability and climate change.

Firms can find out how to switch to renewable energy or upgrade fleets to electric vehicles. Other sessions will look at how to engage employees and how to gain competitive advantage by marketing your sustainability achievements.

A recent survey of businesses in Manchester found that 45% needed support to deliver on their environmental and 33% needed support to develop a plan to minimise their environmental impact.

GC Business Growth Hub is working the winter to ensure that businesses have the support they need in the face of rising inflation and a predicted economic recession through its Here for Business: Cost of doing Business campaign, providing a range of specialist support.

The Here for Business: Cost of doing Business campaign provides a range of specialist support to businesses.

Janine Richardson, programme manager at Skills for Growth said: “Like households, UK businesses are facing soaring energy costs this winter. Rising inflation is hitting all sectors of the economy, and at the same time the impact of climate change is being felt across the globe. Solving these two challenges goes hand in hand - by taking a more sustainable approach to energy use we can alleviate some of the cost pressures facing businesses. Tackling these issues is a win-win for companies and the environment.

“Our free webinars this year will equip firms with the tools and knowledge needed to do this. It will help our SMEs in Greater Manchester to address some of the key challenges they face around energy costs and sustainability.  And they will explore practical ways which firms can keep bills down by reducing their energy usage.

“Crucially, they will focus on ensuring SMEs have the right skills and expertise in place to thrive when it comes to sustainability and energy efficiency. And it will help them better tell their story, while avoiding the risks of so-called ‘greenwashing’.”

The first webinar takes place at 11am on Tuesday 28 February, has a focus on energy consumption and will look at practical renewable or zero carbon energy supply options. Also on the agenda will be the practicalities and benefits of switching to electric vehicles.

A second session at 11am on Tuesday 7 March will cover the workforce implications of company climate policies, including the strategy and resource implications of engaging employees. A final webinar at 11am on Tuesday 7 March will explore the sustainability conversation - with a focus on gaining competitive advantage through improved marketing.

All sessions will be delivered by Carl Hirst and Bex Bowcock, sustainability and net zero advisors with The Growth Company.

To sign up for the Cut Carbon, Cut Costs webinars, and for detailed agendas on each session, visit: http://bit.ly/3ge0yU1

Find out more about Here for Business at the GC Business Growth Hub website