Resources and Best Practice for Local Businesses

Calculate your Carbon Footprint

Knowing your business' carbon footprint is essential to reducing your environmental impact.

There are a number of free online tools which businesses can use to calculate the carbon footprint of their organisation for a specific time frame (usually a year).

The Carbon Trust has created a calculator for small and medium enterprise's (SMEs). The Carbon Footprint Calculator has been designed to help UK-based SMEs measure their corporate emission footprint following Greenhouse Gas Protocol Guidance, including direct emissions from fuel and processes (Scope 1 emissions) and those emissions from purchased electricity (or Scope 2 emissions) for the assets they operate. The tool is not a complete evaluation of an organisational footprint. It only includes selected emission sources, common to the majority of SMEs using an operational control approach.

In order to calculate the organisation’s footprint, you will need the following information for your chosen reporting year:

• Fuel consumption - Fuel consumed by the organisation in its sites and owned vehicles. This can be natural gas, diesel or LPG. You may find this information in bills, fuel card data or meters.
• Energy consumption - Electricity used in your sites. You may find this information through meter readings, utility bills, or automatic meter readings.
• Top-ups made to air conditioning units - Many refrigeration, fire protection and air conditioning devices contain a type of F gas (Fluorinated greenhouse gas), which has a large carbon footprint. Please include the type and quantity of top-ups that have been added during the reporting year. You can find this information in the service sheets provided by your air conditioning or refrigeration contractor.

Low Carbon Kent

Low Carbon Kent  is a network of businesses tackling and adapting to climate change. They aim to reduce costs by cutting emissions and promote the opportunities of the low carbon market.

The low carbon market includes businesses who have green products or who are operating in an environmentally sound manner. A recent study estimated that the market contributes £1 billion to the Kent economy, employing between 17,000 and 25,000 people. The network aims to bring these businesses together across Kent, supporting them to grow, creating jobs and building the local economy.

Kent County Council, with European Union funding, has set up this network to support businesses in the low carbon market. Joining the network is free and demonstrates that your business is taking action on climate change.

Any business with a vested interest in Kent can become a member of the Low Carbon Kent business network. However, free sustainable business support is only available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) i.e. businesses with 250 employees or less and either a turnover of £44 million or less or a balance sheet of less than £39 million.

Funding

EV infrastructure grant

The EV infrastructure grant for staff and fleets is for small-to-medium-sized businesses in the UK. The grant covers up to 75% of the cost of installing the infrastructure needed for chargepoints to operate and for future chargepoints to be installed, as well as the cost of any chargepoints installed. There is a limit of £15,000 per grant. You can get up to:

• £350 per chargepoint socket installed
• £500 per parking space enabled with supporting infrastructure

There is a separate and different grant from the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), which does not help towards the cost of chargepoint infrastructure. Both grants may be used for the same site, but not the same chargepoints.

Welcome to our Sustainable Business directory! Here, we showcase an array of eco-conscious businesses that prioritise sustainability, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Our directory is not just a platform for finding products and services; it's a powerful tool for promoting positive change within our community and beyond. By supporting local sustainable businesses, we foster economic growth that's focused on ethical practices and reduced ecological impact. By choosing to support them, we can support buying local and find nearby products and services that can save your household or business money on utility bills, keep our homes warm and reduce or utility costs.

Disclaimer: please be aware our sustainable business directory serves as a platform to highlight environmentally-conscious businesses in the community. MBC cannot guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or quality of products and services. The inclusion of any business in our directory does not constitute an endorsement or certification of their practices. As a user of this directory, we strongly advise that you exercise due diligence and obtain at least three quotes or estimates from any business before engaging in their services. It is essential to thoroughly assess their capabilities, expertise, and suitability for your specific needs. MBC are not responsible for any contracts, agreements, or transactions that occur between you and the businesses listed on our platform. Any engagement with these businesses is solely at your own risk and discretion.

Sustainable Cleaning Services

Renewable Energy Businesses

Heating Businesses

Insulation

Heating/ Energy Bills Advice

Windows and Doors