SMEs going green: green means opportunity

Green means opportunity for SMEs

Discover how UK businesses are benefiting from going green -
and how you can too

The UK’s business landscape is changing. For SMEs, greening their business means opportunity.

Across the UK, small businesses are already taking steps to become more sustainable. As they do this, they’re seeing positive impacts – improving their operational efficiency, cutting production costs, keeping up with competitors and preparing for changing regulations such as the government’s 2050 net-zero ambition.

Read their stories, and find resources and tools to implement similar changes in your own business. You can ensure your business keeps up with the changes and taps into the growing opportunities too.

Case studies

See how other SMEs are going green and growing their business.

Resources & tools

Discover practical tips on how to make changes in your business and see benefits too.

Bespoke resource search

Find the specific resources that will bring the most benefits based on your sector and location.

The business landscape and what's coming

85% of investors consider environmental and social factors in their decisions

84% of employees are more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to environmental issues

Between 2010-2019, ethical consumer spending in the UK rose from £46bn to £98bn

Shelley Lawson, Director of Frog Bikes

"There’s no question that banks will be pushing us harder than government to decarbonise. It will get to a point where businesses can’t borrow, or get insurance, if they are big emitters."

Find out how they secured a green loan

What business are already doing

Moving to local supply chains

Greening their product design

Turning to recycled or sustainable materials

Louisa Ziane, Co-Founder and COO of Toast Ale

Our R&D team found they could cut the number of spokes without compromising the strength of the wheel, saving 100g of stainless steel per bike. When you do this on every bike, the emissions reductions really add up. Design changes like this mean we emit 6kg less CO2e per bike than 2 years ago.

Find out how they cut material and costs

Business benefits they're seeing as a result

Reduced shipping and production costs

New contracts, parternships and publicity

Access to new funding through green loans

Laura Shackleton, Owner

"As a business, we’re not out of pocket at all. People coming here are happy to pay a little more, because they know why they’re paying a little bit more. If we can afford to do it, as a new business that started in the middle of the pandemic, others can too."

See the benefits going green has brought them