South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

Going Green Gets Easier

Release date: 23/10/2007

More than 3,500 land-based businesses across the South East are being given the opportunity to attend a series of workshops to help them make greater use of sustainable resources, ensure they can adapt to changing circumstances and are up-to-date with latest business legislation and market developments.

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has contracted Business Link to run the programme, which aims to improve skills and business viability. Consultation was carried out with a range of organisations representing the sector, including the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association, to ensure that the workshops address issues pertinent to today’s businesses. The seven key topics to be addressed are:

• Business diversification
• Climate change impacts and mitigation
• Water utilisation
• Energy utilisation and efficiency
• Crops for energy generation
• Food supply chain opportunities
• Planning issues

There will be in depth training on specific topics for selected advisors, followed by a series of half day workshops on each topic, raising awareness of threats and opportunities land related businesses should consider. Attendees will be directed towards providers of specialist consultancy for guidance on how to make the most of their individual situations.

“This is a fabulous opportunity for the South East,” said John Evans, Business Link Rural Business Advisor. “Urban businesses are generally well served by business support organizations and have many more networking opportunities to allow them to discuss new ideas. Farmers and managers of land related businesses are often more isolated and therefore get stuck doing the same things, even when they doubt they are the best way. This scheme has been designed to help owners, tenants and managers to take a fresh look at their businesses and find new ways of working that could ultimately help their businesses develop sustainably.”

Valerie Carter, SEEDA Rural Director, added: “SEEDA is committed to supporting rural businesses and these workshops offer a fantastic opportunity for them to ensure they are in the best position possible to operate in the future. Rural communities and businesses play a vital role, and this has been reflected in SEEDA’ Regional Economic Strategy (RES), which has stressed the need for region-wide support.”

The programme is being managed by Business Link Sussex and will start in December 2007. The first phase of the programme will be to select delivery partners to lead the workshops and to finalise the contents of each one to ensure a consistent message across the region. Any organisation or individual who is interested in being a delivery partner, should contact John Evans at john.evans@businesslinksussex.co.uk with details of speciality skills and possible geographic coverage.