What you can do

There are a number of support packages and resources available for businesses to become greener, delivering other benefits including cost savings, improving staff wellbeing and boosting business reputation. See some useful resources:

• Colchester Institute – Colchester Institute offer courses on understanding your organisation’s carbon footprint and ways to think about developing an action plan to reduce this. They offer a half day ‘Introduction to Carbon Literacy’ course which introduces organisations to how their day to day activities impact on the production of emissions and environmental impacts. They also more in-depth programmes that go into measuring your carbon footprint and creating environmental action plans such as their ‘Advanced Net Zero’ and ‘Net Zero Complete’ courses.
• Colchester eCargo Bike Library – This project is managed and run by Colchester City Council. It focusses on breaking down the barriers for businesses to uptake the use of electric cargo (eCargo) bikes for their operations. eCargo bikes are electric bikes with a storage compartment on the front, enabling a variety of items to be delivered in a cheap, fast and environmental way. Find out more details on our website for how businesses can apply for a short term loan to try out one of the eCargo bikes and see if it could work well for their business.  
• Essex Climate Action Commission Business Advice Pack – An advice pack of resources, funding and case studies that can help your business become greener. 
• Essex County Council have produced a set of introductory videos as part of their ‘Great Start’ programme for businesses. The videos covers several topics including the benefits of being a sustainable business and creating a sustainability action plan. They also have a Green Entrepeneurs programme which provides a set of training workshops and sessions to help people develop a green business idea. At the end of the programme, entrepreneurs will have the chance to pitch for funding for their idea.