29-Jun-2006
- The Environment Agency is calling on North East
businesses to realise the benefits of responsible
business and adopt environmentally friendly business
practices.
Businesses in the region are
finally beginning to realise that good environmental
performance can have positive effects on their
profits, reputation and society as a whole.
As part of World Environment
Day, the Environment Agency is providing additional
support to local businesses, by offering World
Environment Day business packs.
The packs give ideas and advice
on how businesses can support World Environment
Day. They promote easy steps that businesses of
all sizes can adopt, and further information on
local organisations that can also provide assistance,
whether you want to lower carbon emissions, volunteer
for green projects in the local community, or
increase recycling rates.
Through the packs, the Environment
Agency is urging businesses to make one or more
of the following promises:
1. Promote World Environment
Day and the individual promises to your staff;
2. Organise a workplace volunteer day for an environmental
project in your local community;
3. Audit your environmental performance on waste,
water and energy;
4. Implement a car sharing scheme;
5. Promise to include an environmental section
in your annual report.
Environment Agency regional
director Andrew Wood said: ¡§Businesses
are becoming increasingly aware that they need
to consider the environment more and want to take
action ¡V many just need to know what action
to take. By reporting their environmental performance,
businesses can enjoy economic and profile-raising
benefits.¡¨
Over half of the top 250 UK
companies now report their environmental performance
through their annual reports in the knowledge
that it can strongly influence investment. Since
April 2006 all stock market listed companies are
required to disclose in their annual report any
important environmental issues that affect their
business performance.
To request one of our World
Environment Day Business Packs, contact the Environment
Agency on 0113 231 2373 or email WED.Business@environment-agency.gov.uk
Ends
Notes to editors:
The Environment Agency offers
a wide range of support for businesses that want
to improve their environmental performance and
achieve more sustainable business practices.
We offer:
„h Sector plans that track environmental
performance and identify opportunities for improvement;
„h Guidelines for improving environmental performance,
reducing waste and conserving water;
„h Advice on implementing environmental management
systems, environmental reporting and accounting;
„h Tips on making your supply chain more environmentally
friendly.
For additional advice and information
on improving environmental performance, go to
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/.
Small and medium businesses
looking for information on current and forthcoming
regulations should visit: http://www.netregs.gov.uk
Alexandra Wales
