Small businesses 'take environment seriously'

Date: 3rd October 2008

The UK's small business start-up community is taking positive steps to reduce its environmental impact, says the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC).

Statistics from the BCC show that small firms have made over £1 billion in energy efficiency savings over the last year.

The head of the BCC believes it time that the government's Carbon Trust executive agency engaged better with small businesses on how to better implement environmental measures.

David Frost, director general of the BCC: "Businesses are clearly doing their bit, but if the government is serious about reaching the targets it will have to step up its game.

"If the government is going to meet ambitious emissions targets, it needs to refocus the Carbon Trust onto the wider business community where they stand the best chance of hitting these targets."

Recent research has shown that only a small number of companies have used the Carbon Trusts services, suggesting that the environmental benefits could be even greater if the agency was properly integrated in the business community.