Exeter Sustainable Business Network

Some very interesting work coming out of Exeter:

 Celebrating our green credentials 
as the South West's Sustainable City

Exeter Sustainable Business Network is a sub-group of Exeter Chamber of Commerce & Industry

E ON, ESBN, EDDC, DCC and Exeter City Council sign the Low Carbon Task Force agreement

The group is led by representatives from Exeter Chamber, Zero 2050, Lloyds TSB, Bicton College, Enivornment Agency, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, Travel Devon & E.ON.
The group will deliver four major networking events over 2013, introducing case studies from businesses at the forefront of innovation, who have improved their own business performance by introducing sustainable business practises.
Keep checking the website and follow us on Twitter to receive updates @ExeterSBN

Chris Lorimer
Chair of Exeter Sustainable Business Network
Director of Enterprise, Bicton College

About Us - Exeter Sustainable Business Network - ESBN

And some very interesting things going on:

Exeter, the South West’s most sustainable city is a sell out success!

By Emma Connett 02 May 2013

The Exeter Chamber of Commerce’s April Networking lunch held on 17 April was a sell-out success.  The theme of this lunch - ‘Exeter - the South West’s most sustainable city’ - brought together a huge variety of over 110 businesses.

The event included a panel consisting of John Rigby (Chairman of the Low Carbon Task Force), Adam Fox-Edwards (MD of the illustrious Arundell Arms and winner of the 2012 DEBI sustainable business award), Ewan McClymont, Director of Corporate Development for Bishop Fleming) and Keith Budden (Strategic Partnership Manager of E.On, a key supporter of the group).  Each member of the panel discussed what sustainability meant to them, how it has impacted on their businesses in practical terms and their vision for Exeter’s future. 

The event was chaired by Chris Lorimer, Deputy Principal at Bicton College and Chair of the Exeter Sustainable Business Network (ESBN), a sub-group of the Chamber. Chris said, “Putting sustainability at the heart of your business strategy is sound business sense – helping competiveness, profitability and creating greater alignment with our marketplace. Our panel today have shown that sustainability not only matters, but that it bolsters your bottom line.”

This themed networking lunch ties in with the launch of ESBN’s new website - www.sustainableexeter.co.uk. ESBN is currently hosting an event on Thursday 16 May at the Flybe Training Academy, focusing on how businesses can reduce their waste costs and take advantage of business opportunities.

This event will include presentations from Flybe, on how they have minimised the amount of waste they send to landfill and reduces their waste costs.

Delegates will also learn how NISP has connected industry and created opportunity for business whilst discovering what waste reduction initiatives the UNITE Group have implemented. Finally, there will be a presentation of Circular Business Models which many big names such as B&Q, M&S, and Caterpillar are adopting. This will be followed by an opportunity for networking.

Please visit the website for more information or contact the Chamber Office on 01392 431133 if you are interested in attending this event.

Exeter, the South West’s most sustainable city is a sell out success!

And collaboration with Exeter University:

Improve your tendering chances with low carbon credentials

By Stuart Barker 24 April 2013

An increasing number of buying organisations, including the University of Exeter, incorporate environmentally sustainable requirements into their tendering strategies. These organisations now expect suppliers to be more aware of sustainability issues that support a low carbon economy.

Many large companies and organisations in the South West are ‘Green Accord’ accredited and look for their suppliers to follow suit. The University of Exeter has gained the ‘Green Accord’ accreditation and is celebrating this by offering  a free dedicated workshop ( to eligiable SME's) to improve their sustainability credentials and find out what they need to do to gain the ‘Green Accord’ accreditation.

The ‘Green Accord’ provides an affordable route to reducing carbon, deriving business benefit and achieving a nationally recognised’ sustainability accreditation. Attendees will be able to leave the workshop with essential knowledge and tools to achieve a more sustainable business and work towards ‘Green Accord’ accreditation. 

For further information on the workshop and how to reserve your place visit the Centre’s website: www.exeter.ac.uk/climateassist or call  01392 726513.

Improve your tendering chances with low carbon credentials

Green Accord is a proven environmental accreditation that evidences your level of commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. Utilising a Self Assessment that is clear, with easy to implement actions, the Green Accord provides an affordable route to achieving a sustainable accreditation, reducing carbon, and deriving business benefit.
Welcome to Green Accord

And alternative technology goes mainstream:

Why you should be interested in electric cars – and install your charge point now

By Emma Connett 29 April 2013

Property owners and motorists in the South West can apply for a free, fully installed electric vehicle charge point, using a government subsidy for an intelligent wall-mounted charge point and its installation, which would normally cost upwards of £1,000.

Subsidies for charging points are new to the South West, as the previous Plugged-in Places scheme bypassed the region – despite it being a hotspot for renewable energy*. 

Electric cars are set to become mainstream with the introduction of reasonably priced family car models, and the number of electric car drivers is set to double every year** – although the subsidy can be applied whether or not there is currently an electric car at the property. 

The case for electric motoring is ever more persuasive.  The vast majority of motorists drive under 30 miles day in their cars - well within the range of an electric car - and 100 miles of motoring costs just over £2 in an electric car (charged off-peak) compared to over £12 in a petrol or diesel-driven car.

The grant, funded by OLEV (the Office for Low Emission Vehicles), allows POD Point to offer fully subsidised home charging units, whether or not the home owner currently owns an electric car.   The home charging units will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

For more information about this offer, and how to apply for it, should email info@pod-point.com or call 0207 247 4114.

Why you should be interested in electric cars – and install your charge point now

Pod Point | Next-Generation electric vehicle charging infrastructure
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