Green Mark and the London Borough of Sutton Go Green together

Where do SMEs fit into the UK’s net zero ambitions? There’s plenty of attention and scrutiny on the sustainability credentials of big corporations, rightly so. But there’s also extensive guidance and consultancy to help these major organisations get on track. Where can SMEs look for the same kind of support, relevant to their day-to-day business reality?

This line of thinking drives our partnerships with local authorities. Dedicated sustainability organisations like us are able to bridge the gap between authorities and business owners. Our recent collaboration with the London Borough of Sutton is a prime example of the kind of work we’re doing.

Sutton Council was engaged in a groundbreaking decarbonisation scheme for high street businesses, the first of its kind in the UK. They were looking for a new partner to help reimagine the way they incentivise businesses to decarbonise. After an introduction from The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, our partnership began.

How does the London Borough of Sutton’s Go Green Scheme work?

By meeting the Go Green Scheme requirements, businesses in the London Borough of Sutton get an effective 70% relief in their business rates.

Green Mark accredits these businesses once they’ve passed these three steps:

1. 1. Made a pledge to commit to Net Zero by 2050 via our digital portal, these will soon be publicly visible so people can see which local businesses are committed to change.
   2. Assessed their current baseline carbon footprint, which we help them calculate by looking at their energy bills and processes.
   3. Developed an action plan for cutting carbon emissions. Again, we’ll help spot opportunities to do this.

Once they’re accredited, businesses get their first rates relief. After the first year, they get a second refund if they can demonstrate a 5+% reduction in their carbon emissions.

Results: Widespread buy-in and early successes

Most of the businesses who signed up for the Go Green Scheme have around 25 employees or fewer. They simply don’t have the time or resources for sweeping decarbonisation initiatives. That’s where we can really help the most.

Our customer support executives were on hand to guide the business owners via video, email, or phone. The Green Mark portal, with its guidelines and templates, was also a great source of support, making documentation as easy as possible.

Early results have been positive. Many business owners were surprised to learn how much they’ll save by adopting energy-saving measures. Even before the main incentive of the scheme kicks in, they’re already reaping rewards.

Of the first cohort, 75% of applicants have successfully completed their baseline auditing and action plans. They’ve received their business rate refunds and are now working on reducing their baseline emissions in year two. Thanks to the scheme’s success, 70 more businesses have joined up for two further years of the programme.

Looking ahead: Lessons learned for the future

It’s important to look at initiatives like Sutton Council’s Go Green Scheme in their wider context. Other councils can learn plenty of lessons in developing their own equivalent schemes. These include:

• The effectiveness of adopting a similar partnership model.
• Structured and targeted outreach to ensure widespread engagement and genuine commitment.
• Assembling the right combination of stakeholders and sustainability experts.

From our work with other local authorities, we can say with some confidence that carbon reduction measures stick once implemented. Even if the scheme’s business rate incentives were to soften or end, they’ve already made an ongoing positive impact.

What Go Green really represents is a vehicle for businesses to realise their sustainability ambitions. The goodwill and desire to change is there, business owners only need a bit of help and support on that journey. SMEs are a key piece of the UK’s sustainability jigsaw and we’re proud to play our role in solving this critical puzzle.