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Supporting net zero carbon businesses and green skills in Barnet

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Barnet Council is working to create and support green businesses, jobs and skills.




We will help more residents learn green skills, and support our businesses to become more sustainable by highlighting its benefits, through:

  1. Learning more about Barnet’s Green Economy and how we can support its development
  2. Gaining a better understanding of the Green Economy in Barnet
  3. Creating opportunities to make Barnet an attractive place for sustainable business and investment
  4. Providing opportunities for residents to train for green skilled jobs
  5. Supporting the growth and availability of green jobs across the borough
  6. Resourcing the council's own retrofitting programme, by boosting the capacity of local suppliers
  7. Supporting the sharing economy and sustainable business practices


The benefits of being a sustainable business

There are many benefits to being a sustainable business, including:

  • Reduction of energy costs and improved operating efficiency, resulting in less waste
  • Reduction of the amount of waste produced means less pollution, reducing environmental impact
  • Sustainable businesses tend to attract more investment and eco-friendly customers
  • Better local pro-environmental credentials


Ten top tips to support your business in becoming more sustainable

  1. Build awareness of sustainable practices amongst your employees: make sustainability part of your culture, both in and out of the office, to embed this way of thinking into your organisation.
  2. Cut down on waste: for example, can you reduce paper / printing, can you ban single-use plastic water bottles, bags or takeaway containers?
  3. Recycle more to make a big impact: as well as recycling your own waste, it’s best practice to invest in recycled resources as well. Whilst this may bring an initial cost to your business as recycled goods are often slightly more expensive, the environmental cost of using new, single-use materials is much higher.
  4. Change your travel to cut pollution: reducing the number of cars on the road cuts back on pollution and carbon emissions. If you have to travel into the office or to meetings, can you take public transport or car share? Encourage cycling - is installing an office bike rack possible? Hybrid working / working from home some of the time will also help. More information on our Active Travel for workplaces campaign here.
  5. Choose environmentally conscious suppliers: If you're a small business that wants to tackle climate change, find other businesses that want to do that too. Look at your supply chain - do your values align? Using local suppliers is great to support your local economy, other small businesses and your carbon footprint.
  6. Lean towards more sustainable lunch choices: Consider eating seasonal items to avoid less sustainable production methods and airmiles.
  7. Be more energy efficient: Turn off electric appliances, computers etc at the plug socket when not in use. This will save energy and money on your electricity bills.
  8. Switch your lighting to LED lightbulbs: To save 75% energy compared to traditional light bulbs.
  9. If your business offers a delivery service: Think about whether you can make the transition from petrol and diesel, to investing in an electric vehicle.
  10. Plant a tree: One way to balance your business’s carbon emissions is carbon offsetting. To achieve this, businesses participate in schemes to remove greenhouse gas emissions to compensate for their own emissions. Why not invest in planting trees? Read about the Trees for Streets scheme here.


Green skills in Barnet

Barnet Council is supporting a variety of green skills and initiatives across the borough, including:

  • The West London Green Skills Hub, with access to jobs and information through a variety of workshops and events - more information here.
  • Initiatives with Middlesex University, such as submitting a proposal for a funded sustainability LGA Net Zero project, a wider programme of collaboration planned for later this year, and a joint sustainability steering group.
  • As part of our housing retrofit programme, looking at including the provision of green skills training for local people.
  • Planning a series of initiatives working with partners to promote the construction sector to local residents, which will include green skills.


Free tools and links to further information to support your business

Calculate your carbon emissions:

Waste recycling services:

Anti-idling campaign:

Energy Efficiency measures:

Business support:

Tax benefits:

Active travel for workplaces:

Town centre active travel maps:

Return to the BarNET ZERO homepage

Barnet Council is working to create and support green businesses, jobs and skills.




We will help more residents learn green skills, and support our businesses to become more sustainable by highlighting its benefits, through:

  1. Learning more about Barnet’s Green Economy and how we can support its development
  2. Gaining a better understanding of the Green Economy in Barnet
  3. Creating opportunities to make Barnet an attractive place for sustainable business and investment
  4. Providing opportunities for residents to train for green skilled jobs
  5. Supporting the growth and availability of green jobs across the borough
  6. Resourcing the council's own retrofitting programme, by boosting the capacity of local suppliers
  7. Supporting the sharing economy and sustainable business practices


The benefits of being a sustainable business

There are many benefits to being a sustainable business, including:

  • Reduction of energy costs and improved operating efficiency, resulting in less waste
  • Reduction of the amount of waste produced means less pollution, reducing environmental impact
  • Sustainable businesses tend to attract more investment and eco-friendly customers
  • Better local pro-environmental credentials


Ten top tips to support your business in becoming more sustainable

  1. Build awareness of sustainable practices amongst your employees: make sustainability part of your culture, both in and out of the office, to embed this way of thinking into your organisation.
  2. Cut down on waste: for example, can you reduce paper / printing, can you ban single-use plastic water bottles, bags or takeaway containers?
  3. Recycle more to make a big impact: as well as recycling your own waste, it’s best practice to invest in recycled resources as well. Whilst this may bring an initial cost to your business as recycled goods are often slightly more expensive, the environmental cost of using new, single-use materials is much higher.
  4. Change your travel to cut pollution: reducing the number of cars on the road cuts back on pollution and carbon emissions. If you have to travel into the office or to meetings, can you take public transport or car share? Encourage cycling - is installing an office bike rack possible? Hybrid working / working from home some of the time will also help. More information on our Active Travel for workplaces campaign here.
  5. Choose environmentally conscious suppliers: If you're a small business that wants to tackle climate change, find other businesses that want to do that too. Look at your supply chain - do your values align? Using local suppliers is great to support your local economy, other small businesses and your carbon footprint.
  6. Lean towards more sustainable lunch choices: Consider eating seasonal items to avoid less sustainable production methods and airmiles.
  7. Be more energy efficient: Turn off electric appliances, computers etc at the plug socket when not in use. This will save energy and money on your electricity bills.
  8. Switch your lighting to LED lightbulbs: To save 75% energy compared to traditional light bulbs.
  9. If your business offers a delivery service: Think about whether you can make the transition from petrol and diesel, to investing in an electric vehicle.
  10. Plant a tree: One way to balance your business’s carbon emissions is carbon offsetting. To achieve this, businesses participate in schemes to remove greenhouse gas emissions to compensate for their own emissions. Why not invest in planting trees? Read about the Trees for Streets scheme here.


Green skills in Barnet

Barnet Council is supporting a variety of green skills and initiatives across the borough, including:

  • The West London Green Skills Hub, with access to jobs and information through a variety of workshops and events - more information here.
  • Initiatives with Middlesex University, such as submitting a proposal for a funded sustainability LGA Net Zero project, a wider programme of collaboration planned for later this year, and a joint sustainability steering group.
  • As part of our housing retrofit programme, looking at including the provision of green skills training for local people.
  • Planning a series of initiatives working with partners to promote the construction sector to local residents, which will include green skills.


Free tools and links to further information to support your business

Calculate your carbon emissions:

Waste recycling services:

Anti-idling campaign:

Energy Efficiency measures:

Business support:

Tax benefits:

Active travel for workplaces:

Town centre active travel maps:

Return to the BarNET ZERO homepage

Page last updated: 10 Jan 2024, 02:31 PM