When Gloucestershire County Council officially declared a climate emergency in 2019, it made a commitment to 'reducing carbon emissions from all sources in the county to net zero by 2045 and to reduce emissions by 80 per cent by 2030'.
With local businesses required to reach net zero too, plenty of organisations are on hand to offer help, guidance, advice and funding to help them achieve just that — with SoGlos sharing eight in this hot list.
The Growth Hub Gloucestershire
The Growth Hub Gloucestershire offers fully funded business support services, including expert advice, training workshops and resources.
Dedicated to promoting the application of Gloucestershire's Sustainable Energy Strategy into new projects, its Energy Business Group works collaboratively with businesses across the county to help implement green initiatives and improve the efficiency of energy usage.
Cleevely EV
For carbon conscious drivers with a preference for prestige marques, Cleevely EV supplies a range of executive electric vehicles to help make the switch in style.
The family-run independent garage champions the environmental and health benefits that come with purchasing an electric car, offering extensive ownership and driving knowledge that customers can trust — and they service the vehicles too, to make sure they stay in tip-top shape.
Severn Wye Energy Agency
According to Severn Wye Energy Agency, the business sector is responsible for around a fifth of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Helping to tackle this, the agency has helped businesses access over £1 million in grant funding and save more than 2,000 tonnes of carbon every year. It can also act as an energy broker using its Wye Switch service, to ensure businesses get the best energy deals and buy responsibly.
Ecotricity
Committed to delivering 100 per cent green electricity, 'made from the sun, the wind and the sea,' Stroud-based Ecotricity is on a mission to help power businesses towards a net zero target.
Small business customers can get 'green electricity and gas on the same simple and fair tariff' with tailored support from its team of account managers, while Ecotricity’s business team provides a range of services to help businesses operate more efficiently and cut carbon emissions even further.
Optimising IT
Optimising IT’s award-winning IT support experts provide Gloucestershire’s leading businesses with a full range of services with climate conscious IT at the forefront — while also sporting an official B Corp certification.
According to Optimising IT, the average person in the UK contributes over 9,000 kilograms of carbon per year. It offers businesses IT reviews to help them form strategies to make a lasting impact using eco-friendly tech.
Lease Electric
Firmly at the wheel of carbon negative transport for business, Gloucestershire-based, market leader Lease Electric supplies electric cars and vans to small and medium enterprises.
The electric vehicle specialist plants a spinney of 100 trees for every vehicle leased and invests in Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Gold Standard carbon reduction projects to compensate for the carbon and greenhouse gases that are generated in the production and life cycle of every motor it lets.
Printwaste
With 38 years' experience in business recycling; confidential data destruction and compliance; and waste management, Printwaste uses its expert skills to repurpose, reuse, recover and recycle waste materials back into useable resources.
Based in Cheltenham, the recycling firm employs a 'zero to landfill recycling’ ethos, focusing on eliminating the need for landfill, maximising recycling at source and perfecting waste management practices. Anything that really cannot be reused, repurposed, or recycled then enters the waste-to-energy stream, creating a renewable source of energy to power the grid.
Mypower Solar Professionals
Serving the commercial, industrial and agricultural industries, Mypower Solar Professionals provides solar panels to businesses and supports clients throughout the entire process from design to installation — it's also the company behind turning Gloucester Cathedral green.
Its award-winning solar panels can help businesses secure their energy source for the future and reduce their electricity bills, all while benefiting the environment.
