A free business event, for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Tower Hamlets, welcomed local business owners to discuss and learn about the importance of having a net zero strategy.
The event, hosted on 25 January at Toynbee Hall, is the first in a series of four that the council is delivering; the Business Breakfast sessions aim to support the growth and resilience of local businesses.
Hosted by Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Jobs Skills and Growth and Tower Hamlets Council's Growth & Economic Development Team, the event, titled Being a Good Business is Good Business, focused on sustainable business practices and how this can support SMEs generate revenue through supply chain and procurement opportunities.
A host of professional speakers delivered sessions throughout the morning. Sophie Medd, Head of External Engagement and Business Development at the Heart of The City, an independent charity who help SMEs kickstart their sustainable business journey, took the audience through why joining the race to net zero is critical for SMEs and how it’s not as expensive, complicated or time consuming as it may appear.
Robert Bowles, East London Business Place (ELBP), a support and supply-chain brokerage organisation for SMEs, discussed the support and services on offer to help business owners get to net zero, and introduced James Nash, of Bike Dock Solutions, who is a successful client of the ELBP and shared his own net zero business journey.
Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome so many SMEs from the borough to an event that was focused on their future growth. Now more than ever before it is important to have the discussion about sustainability, not least because of environmental impact, increased energy prices and the cost of living crisis, but also as a business, how your awareness and action can impact your ability to access opportunities.
“Although sustainability legislation may not directly impact SMEs, in order to access opportunities with national and global supply chains, SMEs will be called on to declare their emissions and share what their plans are to reduce them.
“Those that joined the session will hopefully have gained valuable insight into how they can take their first steps in creating a net zero strategy. As a council we have a number of upcoming projects that aim to support business owners in reaching their net zero goals, such as an Energy Reduction Project for small businesses that will launch in the coming months.”
There will be four Business Breakfast events, two for SMEs and two for corporates. If you want to be updated on when the next event is and/or would like to receive information about the SME Energy Reduction Project, please sign up to the council’s Business Support newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKTOWERHAMLETS/signup/24267.
Posted on Tuesday 7th February 2023