Bristol firms are being encouraged to take part in this year’s Business Green Week and stage their own fun eco-activities for staff.
The week, which takes place between June 16 and 20, is part of Bristol’s BIG Green Week – a festival of eco ideas, art and entertainment now in its third year. 
Last year a number of city firms were keen not to miss out on the fun – with Clifton architects Stride Treglown, Business West and DAS Legal Expenses Insurance staging internal programmes of green activities that ran alongside other BIG Green Week events.
These organisations have now joined with Low Carbon South West to create more than 40 tried-and-tested activities to help other organisations run their own in-house Business Green Week.
Suggested activities include holding a tasting session of local produce, screening an environmental film, hosting a sustainable commuters’ breakfast or running a green pub quiz.
These are designed to be stress-free and adaptable for any organisation and are supported by links to relevant information and other resources. Almost 40 businesses have already registered their interest, including the BBC, law firm Lyons Davidson, Pukka Herbs and ethical bank Triodos.
Initiative manager at Business West, which runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce and the Bristol Initiative, Nina Skubala, said: “We weren’t sure what to expect when we first ran a Business Green Week in 2012 but the feedback was incredible and it’s become a yearly fixture.
“It’s a fantastic way to engage people with sustainability issues in a fun and accessible way. We’ve also found it drives forward behaviour change to lower carbon emissions, enhances green credentials and even demonstrates some ongoing easy and effective ways to reduce costs.”
Low Carbon South West network co-ordinator Jessica Ferrow added: “We are very excited to be managing the sign-up for Business Green Week. The level of interest has been incredible.
“It’s no surprise that more and more local businesses want to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability in the lead up to Bristol’s year as European Green Capital 2015. All eyes will be on the city as we celebrate a jam-packed year of green initiatives and events.”
BIG Green Week 2014 takes place between June 14 and 22.
The Business Green Week pack can be downloaded from http://www.westofenglandcarbonchallenge.org/business-green-week/
To find out more about Bristol’s year as EU Green Capital 2015 go to http://bristolgreencapital.org/european-green-capital-award/
