Business West, the lobbying and membership group, is urging firms to think about how they can get involved in Bristol’s Big Green Week and help move environmental issues up the business agenda.
The organisation, which represents more than 2,000 businesses across the Chambers of Commerce in Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire, has also devised staff activities every day during Big Green Week, which runs until June 17.
Managing director Phil Smith said: “We’re really excited about Bristol’s Big Green Week and inspiring green action among our staff with a week of fun-packed ‘green’ initiatives.”
Business West staff can learn more about the surrounding environment, take part in a swap shop to recycle unwanted items and help reduce waste. There are green competitions, a lunch-time walk in the woods and a ‘wear gree to work and donate to charity’ day – the charity being TreeBristol, the city council's tree planting campaign, which planted more than 1,000 specimen trees across the city last year and aims to plant a similar number this year.
Also a Green Gym session will be held at Leigh Court on Thursday where the only energy used by staff is their own. No air con; no machines.
There are also three week-long initiatives. Car sharers will be rewarded with priority parking spaces. The lightest bin competition to reduce paper waste and ‘know your food miles’ where delegates attending events at Leigh Court will be told how far their lunch has travelled.
Mr Smith added: “We have deliberately ensured that all our events this week are light-hearted. But there is a serious aspect and at Business West, we take our environmental responsibilities seriously. Our ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems certification demonstrates our commitment to the environment and ensures that we effectively manage and improve the environmental aspects of our business activities.
“Of course Business West’s team of environmental advisers, who deliver the “Improving Your Resource Efficiency” service are heavily involved in Big Green Week and are on hand to deal with requests for the free advisory service that helps businesses examine how they can improve their financial and environmental performance.
“We are urging any business not already involved in this exciting week-long event which aims to attract visitors from across the country to visit Bristol’s Big Green Week website – http://biggreenweek.com – now for further information and inspiration.”
