Funding To Make Businesses Fitter

Businesses looking to save up to £1000 per employee by reducing their energy and waste bills have just a few weeks left to apply to a new fund.

Hambleton and Richmondshire companies can apply for the business Resource Efficiency Voucher until January 31.

Hambleton and Richmondshire District Councils are working with CO₂Sense Yorkshire - part of Yorkshire Forward – to provide funding to help businesses become more efficient and improve their profitability by saving up to £1000 per employee, cutting water bills by 50% and reducing energy bills by 20%.

The voucher helps businesses to implement low and no cost energy, waste and water savings.  Through the scheme they get a free support day from an expert on CO₂Sense Yorkshire’s consultancy panel to identify the best way to make savings.  Following this, businesses can access up to £8000 of capi­tal funding and £3000 of consultancy funding to cover 50% of the cost of improvements.

This project aims to support 60 businesses across Yorkshire, save over one million litres of water and 10,000,000 KWh of energy, and divert 2000 tonnes of waste from landfill. 

“Cutting energy and waste costs will be key to many businesses’ survival in these harsh economic times, so it isn’t just about doing your bit to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Councillor Brian Phillips, Cabinet Member for Hambleton District Council. 

And Councillor Jane Parlour, Member Spokesperson on Climate Change at Richmondshire District Council, added:“This scheme to help businesses operate more efficiently will cut their climate change-causing emissions, thus enabling them to market their green credentials and so gain new custom.”

For more information contact revoucher@co2sense.org.uk, or 0113 237 8400.  Applications close on 31st January 2011.

For more advice on making your business greener and more efficient, and the help available, see the newly launched Greener Business sites for Hambleton and Richmonshire on: http://www.hambleton.greenerbusiness.org.uk/ and http://www.richmondshire.greenerbusiness.org.uk/