Business is also about you and me the environment. Whether a small business owner, a sole trader or an employee, we can all do something to positively change the way we work from choosing not to drive to work, sharing lifts, encouraging car share amongst others to ensuring that plastic cups are replaced by mugs, turning machines and lights off, choosing email instead of the photocopier - small things make a big difference over time and especially when large spaces or hundreds of employees are involved.
Some companies have chosen to go for the official ISO14001 award which is an international accreditation for businesses striving to reduce their environmental impact. Several companies in the Forest of Dean have this award. Gloucestershire and the South West also recognise their businesses with annual environmental awards run by the Univesity of Gloucestershire and the RDA. There are also several government bodies offering advice and subsidies to businesses on environmental issues, from changing company car fleets over to LPG (Powershift), energy efficiency (Action Energy), company travel plans, waste reduction and general information on legislation.
For many companies just keeping up the cash flow is the day to day reality. Two companies highlighted have made great efforts to achieve a lower environmental impact and their efforts have been well rewarded on the balance sheet. Taking the time to seek advice, ferret out technology, new ideas or just common sense solutions and expertise has meant lower operating costs and a better environmental impact. As consumers increasingly choose companies that offer a better environmental and social profile, those companies that take a pro-active environmental stance are well placed to benefit from future market expansion.
Savings and Investment
We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world and that gives us more power than billions of others on the planet... the power of pensions, savings and investments and their cumulative force when joined by the finances of millions of others.
Money placed in banks, building societies and pension funds is invested on our behalf, and this is a powerful machine for world development or destruction depending on just where the investment goes. How many of us can put hand on heart and say this doesn't fund the arms trade, tobacco production, child slave labour, rainforest destruction? By choosing ethical investment you ensure that your money goes only where you choose it to go. You can make sure that it won't go to repressive regimes, companies that destroy the rainforest or that manufacture landmines, that don't use it for oil extraction at the cost of human rights. You can even ask that it specifically goes into supporting organic farming or alternative energy production. Educate yourself - find out where your money is going and what it's doing. Someone somewhere may be grateful if you change where you put your money.
Environmental support for businesses. Business Link supplies a variety of support services for businesses to help them to improve their environmental performance: - Environmental helpline for business (Terry Sharpe) 01242 864167 or 01242 863863 - Free baseline environmental reviews for businesses... more
Free independent advice, support, information for new and developing social enterprises, i.e. democratically owned and run, trading in goods or services for community benefit and self-financing.... more
Bodies that are developing community strategic plans for the respective towns and surrounding areas. Priorities include Town Centre, Economy, Tourism, Housing, Environment and Youth and Community.... more
A mutual building society dedicated to improving the environment by promoting sustainable housing and communities. By saving with us, you know your money is being put to positive use financing mortgages to help: - The production of organic healthy food - Build new energy and resource-efficient hom... more
Scrap electrical items collected and recycled free of charge. Hoovers, cookers, washing machines, Hi Fi, computer kit etc. Anything electrical, domestic or commercial - sorry no fridge freezers. We will do our best to collect within 24 hours in Coleford/Lydney/Cinderford and surrounding areas... more
Enviroskills supports environmental technology companies in the South West with their business development, particularly in relation to training and innovation. The service is free and some training grants are available. Support for business development includes signposting to relevant training co... more
Free advice and guidance to businesses on issues including waste minimisation, legislation/regulations and technology. Don't let waste compromise your business. The inefficient use of raw materials, packaging and technology could be costing you thousands of pounds in lost revenue, and ruining your... more
We are pioneering the use of "time banking" to generate participation. A pilot time bank operates in Newent. We are redefining volunteering for the 21st century and bringing reciprocity back into community life.... more
Forest Artworks! is a community arts project committed to offering a range of creative based activity across the Forest of Dean. FAW! works with people of all ages and abilities to offer access to arts and related media. The Third Screen is a film project which brings world cinema to the Forest of ... more
Offers a domestric kerbside collection for cans, glass containers, aluminium, paper and green garden waste. We partner other local authorities in campaigns to reduce waste and to promote more sustainable ways of dealing with it. Waste management is something that affects the whole community and ... more
Independent website with A5 magazine which is distributed monthly throughout the Forest and surrounding area. Provides low cost advertising with free web entry. Promotes local shopping and the local area. Not part of any newspaper group so any advertising profits will re-enter local shops, busines... more
Wildlife watch club for young people (age range 7-14). Environmental club which explores the natural world through a variety of activities including nature detectives, trips to see snakes, badgers, canoe river clean-ups, fossil trips, science trips and pond dipping all over the Forest of Dean. Unles... more
Forest Savers Club is a community savings and loan scheme, run by members for members. Forest Savers Fund is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and savings are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.... more
FVAF is an agency primarily recruiting, placing and supporting volunteers and providing infrastructure support to the voluntary sector through information, representation and other direct services.... more
GAP's Environmental Champions Programme works with businesses to reduce their impact on the environment by recruiting champions across an organisation who come up with ways to help persuade colleagues to save energy, recycle more and use fewer resources. They audit environmental impacts across the b... more
Provides information, advice and training in relation to environmental, health and safety matters to Gloucestershire businesses. The overarching aim of Gloucestershire Econet is to provide management solutions to businesses which assist in minimising environmental impacts and improving resource eff... more
Brings together businesses, government bodies and business support agencies working together in partnership to develop and implement business initiatives which improve company performance and sustainability. The Forum runs the annual Gloucesteshire Environmental Business Awards, which is open to al... more
We meet monthly, are firmly rooted in the community and therefore know what help is needed where. We tackle local issues and solve them! We are non-political, especially active on environmental issues and resolve to accept and abide by Agenda 21 principles.... more
Provides local businesses with up-to-date information on environmental management matters, in response to changes in environmental legislation and commercial opportunities associated with good environmental management practices. The Club runs a series of monthly evening seminars throughout Gloucest... more
A practical organisation providing resuse materials, equipment, training and support for people who work in the arts, play and education. A membership system operates. - Scrapstrore offering a range of wild and fantastic materials saved from landfill - Shop selling low cost art, craft and multi-cu... more
Gloucestershire Rural Community Council is a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting people living in rural Gloucestershire. Our experienced and supportive Rural Advice Team provides a wide range of advice to rural communities. We can help your rural community by: Identifying rural nee... more
Just Ecology is a first class consultancy that undertakes a broad range of work, both locally andnationally. Our high quality service incorporates sustainable solutions at the heart of all our work. Please contact us to discuss your project needs.... more
Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) are barter systems through which the community can exchange its skills or services, without using money. These are good for the community because they put local people in touch with local skills. They are first line regeneration systems as they keep currency in ... more
After extensive consultation with the community in the District, the Council adopted an LA21 Strategy in December 2000. In the true spirit of ' sustainability' the strategy covers topics from the local economy through biodiversity and climate change to community resources. In total there are 99 proj... more
Availale in denominations of £5 or £10 - these can be purchased through Coleford Visitor Centre, Coleford District Council Offices, Cinderford and Lydney One Stop Shops and Newent Visitor Centre. Nearly 100 businesses participate - a great way of supportin glocal food and produce.... more
London's Climate Change Action Plan - Action Today to Protect Tomorrow sets out a ten year programme to stabilise the capital's emissions at 60% below 1990 levels by 2025. Top priority is to reduce reliance on the local grid and increase local, lower-carbon energy. Ken Liveingston said, "Lond... more
The Partnership has produced a Community Strategic Plan for the town and surrounding area, including a theme of environmental improvement. The partnership links to Lydney Power, investigating Green Energy. The partnership welcome any deliverable project(s) ideas from groups or individuals to prom... more
Pelton polymers is a small/medium sized family owned company based in Lydney. Over the last 25 years it has been built up to become the largest and most technologically advanced hydroscopic polymer reprocessing plan in Europe. In 2001 we were accredited with the international 'Environment Managemen... more
The District Council's approach to Regeneration is centred around partnership working. The Forest Regeneration Partnership was established in 1994 and had been instrumental in developing a comprehensive approach to regeneration issues. Economic development, tackling poverty and exclusion, working... more
Biodegradable packaging machinery - twin screw extrusion and ancillaries. Specifically for polystyrene alternatives made from starch, ie. loosefill/packaging chips. Working closely with National Starch (part of ICI) and their customers world-wide to develop new methods of producing packing materia... more
As a UK leader in water supply and waste water services, the Company promotes the sustainable use of water to businesses, schools and the public. An extensive Sales and Business team offer solutions to a wide variety of environmental problems, whilst a network of education centres and a programme o... more
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Smadar Strategies offer advice on organisation of all marketing related activities. Our focus is on promoting any ethical and/or environmental policies a business holds to add competitive value. (Member of Chartered Institute of Marketing).... more
Consultancy service for all aspects of local sustainable development. Research, public consultation, advice, displays and publications as well as countryside interpretation.... more
The Dezac factory in Cinderford produces the Rio range of health, beauty and fitness products. It also produces TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) pain relief systems, a natural alternative to drugs. Before moving to their current premises DEZAC operated over several sites on the... more
We offer advice to companies and individuals regarding contaminated land, flood defence, environmental management reports and a wide range of associated environmental services.... more
The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is a county based charity aimed at protecting the wildlife and wild places in Gloucestershire. We own and manage over 70 nature reserves, with over 20 of these situated in the Forest of Dean. The reserves boast varying habitats from Wye Valley cliffs at Lancaut to ... more
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Our Vital Villages Programme aims to help small rural commnities take stock of their village, to identify what they need to do to revitalise it, to ensure local people have a voice in their future and to provide support to enable each village to make its own decisions and to implement some of the im... more
We help companies and organisations to turn waste into profit by allowing them to contact eachother over the internet. A Company's waste stream is often of benefit to another individual or company (eg packaging materials, glass, etc), thus they can reduce the amount of materials ending up in landfi... more
Andrew nixon has been appointed as Community links Officer with the AONB. He can be contacted to help take forward community based landscape projects in the Wye Valley AONB.... more
From team building to stag parties, from challenging behaviour to breaking out of the box, Yeehaa Outdoor are an experienced team based in Newent offering a range of activities throughout the Forest. Archery practice, kayaking, abseiling, canoeing, caving, nature walks and many more are all part of... more
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Since its launch last May (07), 32 staff at Ecclesiastical Insurance in Cheltenham have bought new bicycles through the Bike2Work scheme.