A collaboration between the Sustainable Business Resource (SBR) (part of local environmental charity Plastic Free North Devon) and 361 Energy CIC will provide support to local businesses on the road to decarbonisation, saving energy and potentially money along the way
The collaboration will allow the SBR and Energy 361 to synergise their resources and expertise to more effectively deliver the core values of both organisations. Their shared aims are to:
- Assist organisations to net zero carbon by 2030
- Eliminate the use of single use plastics and materials
- Advise organisations on their carbon footprint and measures they can use to reduce this
- Provide sustainability audits and reports
- Coordinate sustainability groups for the common good of society and the planet
- Facilitate engagement with environmental and biodiversity groups
The two organisations had already been working separately under their respective remits towards these goals, with the SBR focusing on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in North Devon and 361 completing similar work in the non-commercial sector, so saw a collaboration as an ideal opportunity to pool resources and become stronger together.
Tom Bedwell, Sustainability Advisor at the Sustainable Business Resource, has an MSc in Environmental Management and a wealth of experience in both the private and public sector – ranging from management in a national retail organisation to project management of building and IT projects. Martin Slocombe is a director of 361 Energy and is a member of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment and an associate Chartered Environmentalist. Together they form a broad knowledge and experience base.
Claire Moodie, CEO of Plastic Free North Devon explains why the collaboration was the next obvious step for the SBR project:
“Our Sustainable Business Resource is designed to cut through the noise and provide a practical consultancy service tailored to small businesses, providing a detailed audit and assessment with a clear action plan for effecting change. We know that incremental individual change is not enough to create the societal shift needed to reduce the impact of climate change and other environmental challenges we face.
The power and opportunity lies within how we do business within our communities, and recognising the true value of being a sustainable business. We are really excited by this collaboration and the opportunity to share expertise and learning across the business and non-commercial sector, increasing the impact and and reducing the potential for duplication of work and resources.”
Martin Slocombe, Director 361 Energy added:
“This is a great collaboration; it is hugely beneficial to both organisations to be able to share our knowledge and best practice. I really value working with Claire and Tom and the complementary skills sets create a partnership greater than the sum of the individual organisations. This partnership enables us to deliver a more comprehensive end-to-end service.”
The collaboration has already seen the combined team working with local farmers, proposals for engagements in schools, and sitting on the Green Economy Group and the new Energy Services Company (ESCO) steering group for the Devon rollout.
If you need any help for your business with carbon reduction, sustainability issues, contact points into environmental and biodiversity organisations, and understanding the journey to net Zero Carbon, you can contact the team directly on [email protected] or [email protected].
