Business Engagement

The Business Engagement Sub Group has been established to

• Act as a “critical friend” to the Scottish Government and provide practical advice and support on areas such as the Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP), the Low Carbon Economic Strategy (LCES) and Public engagement strategy (PES).
• Enable/facilitate/drive actions and initiatives through key business representative bodies and government agencies to enable all of Scotland’s business sectors and their employees to play a role in helping Scotland achieve the 42% emission reduction targets established by the Climate Change Act.
• Act as a mechanism to communicate key initiatives, tools and resources developed by other sub groups within the 2020 Climate group to the business sector in Scotland

Priority Objectives and Actions for 2012

To increase effective take up of environmental sustainability through supply chains:

• Conduct analysis of current best practise in supply chains (linking to work being completed by PA Consulting).
• Map out the supply chain requirements for a range of business sectors that will aid the low carbon transition.

Develop a sustainability toolbox for businesses especially SMEs:

• Develop, launch and promote online resource for SMEs to support their active understanding and increased participation in environmental sustainability.
• Promotion of existing tools and resources (eg, envirowheel) to membership of 2020 sub group businesses along set of common themes with common messages
• Increase in number of case studies available to businesses of all sizes through existing portals such as 2020 Climate Group website and Mayday Network.
• Create a Prize fund to generate and develop a Hub/app that can be downloaded free of charge for SME’s to give support and help on practical measures for waste reduction, energy efficiency, and other green.
• Provide practical/mentoring support to SME’s on adaptation approaches and available help.

Develop better linkages between large businesses and SMEs:

• Develop a CRS mentoring scheme between large and small businesses.

Actively support the IAG’s on common themes related to the low carbon transition:

• Carry our research on the common themes from the IAG’s and look to provide support where relevant.
• Take each common theme and engage with the respective IAG to ensure business sectors are duly contributing to the low carbon economy.

Investigate development of Section 82 of the Climate Change Act • Further embed recyclate content of purchased/manufactured goods:

• Examine realistic and practical options to embed environmental considerations, ie, energy and waste into the Health and Safety regime.

Act as a critical friend to Scottish Government:

• Work with the Scottish Government to provide advice and support on critical areas of current and future policy.

Progress Update

The SME Enviroapp Competition, an idea conceived by the Business Engagement Subgroup, came to a conclusion when the winner was announced as Green Oak Solutions at the Scottish Low Carbon Investment Conference. The competition, which was taken forward by four of the Business Engagement Subgroup members (SSE, SEPA, Microsoft and the Scottish Government), will see Green Oak Solutions receive £50,000 towards the development of the app to raise business awareness amongst SMEs of climate change and carbon management. However, the end of the competition is only the first step in the development of the SME Enviroapp and the guidance SMEs require to reduce their impact on the climate.