Local Enterprise Office Waterford encouraging businesses go Green!

Earlier this month, An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, officially launched a new ‘green’ enterprise support for small businesses.

The Green for Micro programme, an initiative from the Local Enterprise Offices with support from Enterprise Ireland, was rolled out nationwide to help prepare small businesses for the low carbon, more resource efficient economy of the future.

With the help of a Green Consultant, small businesses with up to ten employees can get free advice and technical support on resource efficiency, how to better understand their carbon footprint and how to implement an environmental management system to reduce costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Local Enterprise Office Waterford is encouraging small businesses that wish to adopt a greener strategy to apply for assistance with identifying, implementing, and managing a greener approach to business practices.

Richie Walsh, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Waterford highlighted how, with the benefit of practical advice and guidance, local business owners and managers can “green” their business to make it more sustainable.

“Sustainability is often quite a theoretical concept and many small businesses just don't know where to start.  These practical Green for Micro consultations take the theory away and boil down to identifying practical and actionable steps for business. Qualifying SMEs can access two days of intensive mentoring, including a sustainability audit and action plan, designed to introduce green principles and drive sustainability.”

Derek Hannick of Lean Green Management Services is a “green” mentor with Local Enterprise Offices.  “The aim of the Green for Micro programme is to help businesses examine and identify cost savings and market opportunities within their business.”

“This is achieved by looking at a business from an environmental perspective. In essence, becoming green means improving the way you use energy, waste, water and how you transport and procure.  Improving environmental performance through greater resource efficiency can help your business save money and achieve a competitive advantage.”

If you are interested in developing a ‘greener’ policy for your business to; increase cost savings, improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions, discover opportunities for higher and additional value on products and services, increase access to customers, improve corporate image and increase resilience to climate change impacts the Green for Micro Programme is for your business.

To apply for two days of mentoring with a specialist Green Consultant visit www.localenterprise.ie/green or call Local Enterprise Office Waterford on 0761 10 2905 to find out more about Green for Micro.