UK businesses make £1 billion in energy efficiency savings

The environment survey of over 3,000 firms also found that over half of UK businesses feel they have a responsibility to manage climate change, but that only a minority of businesses have used the services of the Carbon Trust, the Government body established to assist business in the drive towards a low carbon economy.
The BCC said the findings emphasised the urgent need for the Carbon Trust, to capitalise on this positive development at a time when the economy is stalling and companies are facing high-energy bills.
It said the Carbon Trust has been too slow to engage with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), they must now take advantage of this energy efficiency push and refocus on assisting more SMEs - the business sector most in need of help and one which contributes over 50 per cent of all business energy usage, a statement from the BCC said.
"Over the last year a majority of businesses have shown a real appetite for reducing energy usage and as a result the environment has been pushed to the top of their agenda,” said director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost. "If the Government is going to meet ambitious emissions targets, it needs to refocus the Carbon Trust onto the wider business community where they stand the best chance of hitting these targets. Businesses are clearly doing their bit, but if the Government is serious about reaching the targets it will have to step up its game."
Last week, the Carbon Trust announced it has doubled the maximum size of its interest-free Energy Efficiency loans from £100,000 to £200,000, and increased the overall loans pot by 45 per cent to £31 million this year in response to difficult economic conditions. The loans, which are unsecured and interest-free, are aimed at small businesses to help them upgrade equipment with a more energy efficient version.

The BCC report entitled, Business and the Environment: Challenges Ahead, surveyed companies nationwide to ascertain the current business opinion on climate change and the environment. Some of the key findings include:

• Nearly nine out of 10 companies reported that they recycle while just over half use energy efficient products
• A third of businesses provide training to their employees to reduce emissions while a quarter have developed energy management policies to limit their impact on the environment
• Only a third of businesses stated that climate change is low on their priorities in these economically challenging times
• Nine out of 10 respondents claimed that energy costs were likely to influence their response to climate change
• Half of respondents stated that climate change was a significant issue for their business though more thought it would become an issue over the next five years
• 62 per cent of businesses claim the most effective policy Government can use in reducing carbon emissions are energy efficiency policies
• Just a quarter of businesses had used at least one of the Carbon Trust's services suggesting the majority of businesses are left without assistance
• A significant number of those who have engaged with the Carbon Trust were larger organisations, highlighting the continuing need for effective advice and assistance for SMEs.

A total of 3,384 businesses took part in the survey.
The BCC leads the nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce, which serve business across the UK, which employ over five million people.