North Northamptonshire Council has launched a new initiative to help local businesses understand and reduce their energy use and environmental impact.
Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the programme will support organisations to design their own decarbonisation plans and access grants that will help them shift to more sustainable practices and save money.
North Northamptonshire Council has appointed Urban Foresight, a strategic innovation consultancy, to deliver the programme.
Participating organisations will receive free access to a user-friendly platform to measure their carbon footprint and develop a Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP).
The programme aims to support 50 businesses and 25 community groups to complete carbon footprint assessments, and 20 businesses and 15 community groups to progress to CRPs aligned with the latest public procurement requirements, enhancing their ability to compete for private and public sector contracts and providing a pathway to decarbonisation.
A structured series of workshops will also be delivered to build capacity and ensure that CRPs are not only developed but are also actionable.
Cllr Ken Harrington, the council’s executive member for assets, waste and environmental services, said: “With more and more businesses looking at carbon reduction measures, it is important that we use the funds available to us to support them.
“Schemes like this encourage businesses to look to the future, think about their carbon footprint and complements wider environmental work in North Northants.”
