Businesses and SME's

Many Local Authorities do a huge amount to support local businesses on environmental issues. Their work ranges from improving the local streetscene for high street retailers, to demonstrating how businesses can reduce costs by using energy aand water more sustainably or reducing the amount of rubbish they throw out.

The Environment Agency has created a website (NetRegs - www.netregs.gov.uk) as the primary trusted source of guidance on environmental legislation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.

NetRegs is a free and confidential website that aims to help SMEs understand what they need to do to comply with environmental legislation and protect the environment - it could even save them money.

On this page:

Local Authorities working with businesses on environmental issues
Information for Local Authorities about working with local business
Organisations you can work with to help your local businesses
Defra's environmental enforcement review

Case studies (Please see at the bottom of this page). For more case studies please see the BREW Centre for Local Authorities

Local Authorities working with local businesses on environmental issues

• Improved use of energy and water, and minimising waste can all reduce costs for businesses
• Pleasant and greener surroundings can support retail business
• Joined-up Local Authority-led approaches can support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises through extensive and complex environmental regulation
• Protecting the natural heritage and environment is part and parcel of protecting the tourism product, for instance, looking after or enhancing green spaces and countryside, local biodiversity, ancient woodlands and coastal areas. Tourists come to have a unique experience of 'place' which is strongly influenced by the local landscape, food and culture - all wrapped up in a well protected and preserved local environment
• Supporting environmental businesses can create jobs and stimulate new small and diverse businesses, or community and social enterprises
• Greening Communities campaigns, which encourage local and seasonal food production and consumption, can also create a more diverse local market place and support the local economy
• The values of properties rise when they are in green tree lined streets

Information for Local Authorities about working with local businesses on environmental issues

The BREW Centre for Local Authorities provides information, advice and best practice case studies from Local Authorities on how to help businesses in your area to become more profitable and resource efficient. If you join the free BREW Centre Network you will receive the monthly e-zine and be able to contact people in other authorities doing, or looking at doing, similar things.

The Encams Tidy Business Standards is a scheme designed to enable local councils, Business Improvement Districts, town centre management companies or similar organisations to encourage businesses to improve their waste management practices and meet their statutory obligations.

National and regional organisations you can work with to help your local businesses

There are many national and regional organisations, some of which have funding or other help available which you can work with locally to Help with your local businesses:

• The Regional Development Agency in your region will have a BREW coordinator and possibly funding or other support available - contact them to find out.
• The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme is an innovative business opportunity programme that delivers bottom line benefits for its members whilst generating positive outcomes for the environment and society. Operating at the forefront of industrial symbiosis thinking and practice, the programme helps companies take a fresh look at their resources.
• Envirowise delivers a valuable government-funded programme of free, confidential advice to UK businesses. This assistance enables companies to increase profitability and reduce their environmental impact.
• The Carbon Trust is an independent company funded by Government. Its role is to help the UK move to a low carbon economy by helping business and the public sector reduce carbon emissions now and capture the commercial opportunities of low carbon technologies.

Defra's environmental enforcement review

Defra's review of environmental enforcement aims to ensure an enforcement system where businesses are confident that the worst offenders are dealt with through tough sanctions and the good intentions of the responsible majority are recognised. It aims to support work towards a more consistent regulatory approach and to strengthen incentives for operators to comply with their environmental obligations.

The review is detailed and wide ranging but is focussed mainly on environmental harm caused by businesses. Underpinning the review is the assumption that the penalties that are handed out to businesses (and in some cases individuals) who cause harm to the environment should reflect the harm done. The review documents provide information on a number of areas including research about what motivates compliance or non-compliance with environmental laws, the purposes of enforcement and the reasons why current penalties may not be sufficient deterrent. LACORS provides local government input on the project board shaping Defra's thinking on environmental enforcement and the review is likely to move towards a full public consultation on legislative changes during 2008. Defra's review will need to have regard to the principles of the Cabinet Office's overarching review of enforcement and sanctions and the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill.

Further information on the environmental enforcement review can found by visiting here.

A report on the findings of the first phase of the environmental enforcement review can be found here.