Climate Hub

The Mayor’s Business Climate Challenge

The Mayor of London is piloting an ambitious new challenge for businesses to play their part in tackling the climate emergency. The Mayor’s Business Climate Challenge will call on London businesses to reduce their carbon footprint by cutting their building energy usage.

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Further resources and support 

Other climate change initiatives supported by the Mayor of London include:

• Better Futures
• ReLondon
• Zero Carbon London

Race to Zero

Race to Zero is the UN-backed global campaign to encourage businesses, cities and investors to work towards a resilient, zero-carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.

The Race to Zero is an umbrella campaign and there are many ways to join, including the SME Climate Pledge and Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees.

We call on London Businesses to make the commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030. Join the Mayor in doing everything possible to decarbonise by no later than 2030 – it is everybody’s business.

Why get involved?

There are various opportunities for businesses to get involved with Race to Zero. Benefits include:

• Support with setting and achieving climate action targets.
• The opportunity to share tools and knowledge with a community of members.
• Demonstrate your commitment to a zero-carbon future.

SME Climate Hub

The SME Climate Hub supports small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 250 employees to join the Race to Zero campaign. Visit the SME Climate Hub to access tools, support and advice to help your business curb emissions and gain a competitive edge.

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UK Business Climate Hub

The UK Business Climate Hub is a government-backed initiative that aims to create a tipping point for mainstreaming climate action and building business resilience. It supports UK businesses to demonstrate their climate leadership.

Why get involved?

• Grow your business.
• Future-proof your business.
• Be part of the solution.

What happens when you get involved?

Businesses that make a commitment to take climate action through the UK Business Climate Hub benefit from:

• Tools to understand and tackle emissions.
• Advice on how to share what you’re doing with customers.
• Ideas, support and incentives to help you meet your commitment.

Get involved

Please click here for additional information about the UN Race to Zero campaign.

In November 2021 the UK hosted the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. The conference brought together countries to address the Climate Emergency. COP26 has a particular urgency, it is our last, best chance to address climate change and limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees. COP26 provides an opportunity for all actors to commit to ambitious climate targets and to take action to achieve them. Cities are critical to achieving national targets and London is a global leader for tackling Climate Change- London businesses have a key role to play in achieving our net zero target.

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The Better Futures+ programme promotes and supports innovation, sustainability and diversity within London’s cleantech sector. Through the programme, small and medium-sized enterprises in the cleantech sector can benefit from:

• Business plan support.
• Investment readiness.
• Help with product development.
• Fundraising strategy support.
• Impact assessment.
• Part-funded internships for young people from minority groups.
• Grants targeted at SMEs affected by the pandemic.

Better Futures+ is funded by the GLA’s Green New Deal and delivered in conjunction with established delivery partners at Imperial College London, and West London Business.

Beat the Energy Crisis 

Register for an energy audit, including an in-person site visit with an energy consultant to help identify quick wins that will reduce your energy use and bills. Places are limited to companies that own or have some control of their building, so recommendations can be actioned.

Find out more about Better Futures+

The Better Futures + Zero Carbon Business Leadership Programme is designed for busy SME leaders. It is packed with practical advice from how to measure your carbon footprint and reduce emissions, to how to promote what you’re doing to win more customers.

A series of webinars will bring together guest speakers who provide expert advice and present real-life case studies. You will also hear from business owners talking about their own experiences as well as industry specialists and suppliers.

Upcoming webinars 

• How to Avoid Greenwashing (7 February 2023, 12:30pm – 1:30pm)

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The Innovation Support Directory is an online guide bringing together details of the range of innovation support schemes, programmes and organisations available for London’s climate innovation community.

The directory covers:

• Funders.
• Government policies and programmes.
• Innovation spaces.
• Innovation support.
• Investors.
• Networks.
• Research and academia.
• Skills and training.
• Test beds and demonstrators.

Find out more

In April 2021, the UK Government announced a target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. There is a wide range of initiatives and organisations to support businesses to take climate action and help the UK meet emissions targets. These include:

• The Carbon Trust supports businesses to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon future. It provides a range of resources, advice and intelligence on climate action.
• WRAP works with businesses to deliver practical solutions that improve resource efficiency.
• The Small Business Sustainability Hub from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) supports smaller firms to become more sustainable.
• Climate for SMEs: 4 Steps to Action is a new course to help SMEs in the City of London take climate action.
• ReLondon – Making the circular economy everyone’s business. Empowering you to embrace circularity, transforming the way you work and creating long-term sustainable value and growth.
• The Climate Change Committee advises the UK Government on emissions targets. It also reports to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change.
• Green Street is an online initiative to help small independent retailers cut their carbon footprint.
• Cross River Partnership (CRP) is a non-profit organisation that has developed a number of online tools that can help keep air clean at the same time as supporting businesses. CRP has launched Greening Out The Grey: The Value of Green Infrastructure for People and Places, which is a practical report demonstrating the business case for, and values of, greening. Greening can improve air quality, facilitate climate adaptation and increase physical and mental wellbeing for residents, workers and visitors across London and beyond.
• The Department for Transport has published guidance for employers who want to put in place a cycle to work scheme.
• The Workplace Charging Scheme is a voucher-based scheme that provides support towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle chargepoints.
• The Plug-in Charging Grant Scheme provides a discount on the price of brand new low-emission vehicles through a grant the government gives to vehicle dealerships and manufacturers.
•  Quick wins to reduce building energy consumption guide – work through the guide to ensure your commercial building is operating as energy efficiently as possible. Many buildings consume more energy than they need to. This guide developed by the Mayor’s business Climate Leaders and the Better Buildings Partnership can help you start to save energy in your building.
• The Achieving Net Zero handbook from the Food and Drink Federation provides practical guidance to help food and drink manufacturers on their journeys to net zero.
• The Carbon Footprint Tool from London Borough of Tower Hamlets helps organisations to calculate and track their carbon emissions. It also provides advice on ways to cut emissions.

Find out more about the external resources and support available.

The following events are taking place to support businesses to achieve net zero and identify the benefits of climate action:

• Hackney Green Business Seminar (30 January and 6 February 2023, 9:00am – 5:00pm)
• Carbon Footprinting (1 February 2023, 9:00am – 1:00pm)
• Innovating Sustainable Products for Change | Day 1 (21 February 2023, 10:00am – 12:00pm)
• Innovating Sustainable Products for Change | Day 2 (22 February 2023, 10:00am – 12:00pm)
• Climate Action Strategies to Boost Your Business (23 February 2023, 9:00am – 1:00pm)
• Sustainability and SMEs – Dispelling Myths and Taking Action (9 March 2023, 10:30am – 11:30am)