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East of England inexperienced small companies can win £4,500 prize bundle

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UK Net Zero Business Champion Andrew Griffith

Submitted by the Department of Economic, Energy and Industrial Strategy

A £ 4,500 package is offered to small businesses in the east of England committed to reducing emissions and their carbon footprint.

Businesses in the east of England can now apply for The Heroes of Net Zero competition, launched by the Together for Our Planet campaign with partners BT, NatWest and SSE to find the UK’s best small businesses that are innovating to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The best entries will be invited to the COP26 International Climate Summit in Glasgow on November 2nd, where the winners will be announced and receive an exclusive prize package worth £ 4,500:

  • 21 hours of consultation with an energy manager and one year of complimentary access to SSE’s £ 3,500 Business Energy Intelligence energy management platform
  • Six hours of bespoke mentoring with a NatWest Enterprise Manager from their Climate Accelerator program that helps successful companies acquire climate-friendly skills, enter new markets, attract talent, and
  • Up to £ 1,000 in vouchers to access a brand new BT digital advertising support package to grow your business

A survey conducted in 2020 by the European Investment Bank found that more than a third of UK businesses believe that reducing carbon emissions has a positive impact on the demand for products and services.

By highlighting companies that are leading the way, this competition hopes to inspire people in the east of England to take action that will benefit both the environment and their business.

The government’s “Together for Our Planet” campaign is led by the Ministry of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

To enter the Heroes of Net Zero competition, companies in the UK Business Climate Hub must commit to net zero by 2050, in line with the government’s own climate commitment.

To date, 171 companies from the east of England have made this commitment. The participants then have to describe in 200 words the exciting measures they will take on the way to net zero. Reaching net zero means that the amount of greenhouse gases your business is producing is no more than the amount that is being taken away, eliminating any negative impact on the planet.

The competition is open to companies across the UK with fewer than 50 employees and is divided into two categories:

  • Small business – 1-9 employees
  • Small business – 10-50 employees

The winners and shortlist in each category will be selected by Judges Andrew Griffith MP, UK Business Net Zero Champion, James Close from NatWest Group, Gabrielle Giner from BT and Marta Smart from SSE.

UK Net Zero Business Champion Andrew Griffith said: “The Heroes of Net Zero competition gives companies in the east of England an exclusive opportunity to demonstrate how they are reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the run-up to COP-26.

“The competition winners will lead the way by sharing creative examples of steps any UK business can take to help us build greener.”

Pete Oliver, Managing Director of SME at BT, said, “We believe that all companies, large and small, have a critical role to play in reducing global carbon emissions. Journey to net zero by doing UK business Register for the Climate Hub.

“The“ Together For Our Planet ”competition is a great way to showcase and celebrate small business climate action. We’re excited to support the competition by giving small businesses free spend to access our new digital advertising solution, which is coming soon. “

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James Close, Head of Climate at NatWest Group, said: “We want to be the UK’s leading bank in fighting climate change and we are determined to play an active role in Britain’s transition to a low carbon economy.

£ This means encouraging and supporting companies of all sizes in all sectors to make active and meaningful changes to their carbon footprint.

“We are proud to support the UK Government’s Heroes of Net Zero campaign and I look forward to seeing the creative and innovative efforts UK companies take to reduce their emissions and contribute to a sustainable future for all of us. ”

Nikki Flanders, SSE’s Managing Director, Client Business, said: “In order for the UK to meet its net zero targets, it is important that businesses of all sizes are empowered and inspired to take action and make sustainable decisions. The Heroes of Net Zero contest is a great way to celebrate achievement as small businesses try to advance their Net Zero journeys.

“The SSE award will reward the winners and help accelerate their progress.”

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