Enterprise Week aims to create awareness and opportunities for young people to develop their entrepreneurial flare and celebrate these successes and skills.

To complement this, we are highlighting how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can gain economically as well as increase their environmental awareness through following guidance offered the NetRegs website www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs. We are also able to offer flood risk advice to businesses, which is available on our website www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

We have created an online information resource, NetRegs that provides SMEs with clear and concise information on how to comply with green regulations and provides advice on good environmental practice. The NetRegs website is free to use and there is no need to register. Visitors can also remain completely anonymous.

Within the Midlands region, The East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) has developed its own unique way to attract the attention of budding young entrepreneurs. Encouraging them to ‘show their enterprising streak’ and gain a range of support from organisations across the region, meet the experts and become inspired by previous entrants, EMDA has launched the www.showusyours.co.uk website in order to raise awareness of the opportunities and awards.

Entrepreneurial dynamism within a green edge was seen when Kelly Atkins received Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 (East Midlands region), by launching ‘Carpet-Burns’. Her company manufactures a revolutionary material from waste carpet to produce a range of unique interior products, and a sheeting material.

This meant that her entrepreneurial vision created the opportunity for waste to be diverted from landfill, thus contributing to a greener and more sustainable future, which is strongly supported by ourselves.

Speaking about Enterprise Week, Nick King, our Regional Strategic Unit Manager for the Midlands Region, states: "At the Environment Agency, we encourage young enterprise that benefits the economy and the environment. The NetRegs site has been specially designed to help those who are new to the regulations".