Telford businesses offered sustainability help
A new digital tool which helps companies to operate more sustainably is already proving a hit with local businesses in Telford and Wrekin.
Cool Shropshire and Telford is a sustainability initiative providing free environmental support to local micro businesses and small to medium businesses (SMEs).
Sponsored by Telford & Wrekin Council and Shropshire Council, the initiative is set to support up to 1,000 organisations in its first year.
The digital platform, which opened last month, enables businesses to monitor and progress their carbon reduction journey as well as covering a range of environmental aspects including energy and water use, to ensure all positive actions are captured and opportunities identified.
Businesses register and complete a simple two-step process to help them understand their environmental impact and set some goals to reduce it over the coming year, helping them to save money on bills, reduce supply chain risk, and move away from fossil fuels where possible.
Five hundred free spaces - funded by Telford & Wrekin Council - are being offered to businesses based in the borough.
Councillor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for climate change, green spaces, natural and historic environment and cultural services, said: “We’ve had 17 local companies sign up to the Cool Shropshire and Telford platform already, which is terrific news.
“Our county is principally a small business economy, with more than nine out of ten enterprises having fewer than 10 employees in 2020.
"For Telford and Wrekin to make progress on climate action our businesses need to work as a collective, each taking small steps in the right direction to make a significant cumulative impact.
“The council has reduced its own operational emissions by 58 per-cent between 2018/19 and 2020/21, but we recognise we also have a part to play in supporting the climate actions of other organisations across our borough.
Emma Cantillion, business owner of The Barn at Lees Farm – one of only three in Shropshire to hold a Green Tourism Award ‘Gold’ – said: “We provide rural accommodation in the heart of Ironbridge Gorge.
"We believe in business done sustainably, from being environmentally friendly, to where we shop and how we shop, our amenities, onsite bio diversity and our overall impact on the world around us.
Businesses can find out more about Cool Shropshire and Telford and register for one of the 500 free spaces at telford.gov.uk/CoolTelford
