The Government has teamed up with BT, SSE and NatWest to find Britain’s most green small business, offering cash prizes worth £4,500 each to winners.
To enter, small businesses must show what steps they have already taken to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, in line with the UK’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The best Heroes of Net Zero entries will be invited to attend the COP26 international climate change summit in Glasgow on November 2, where the winners will be announced and receive an exclusive prize package worth £4,500:
- 21 hours consultancy with an energy manager and one-year free access to SSE’s ‘business energy intelligence’ energy management platform, worth £3,500
- Six hours of mentoring with a NatWest enterprise manager from its climate accelerator programme, helping winning businesses gain climate friendly skills in accessing new markets to attracting talent
- Up to £1,000 in vouchers to access a brand-new digital advertising support package from BTto grow your business
How to enter Heroes of Net Zero
The competition is open to UK businesses with fewer than 50 employees and split into two categories, each with the opportunity to win a £2,500 prize package.
Micro businesses – 1-9 employees
Small businesses – 10-50 employees
To enter the Heroes of Net Zero competition, businesses must commit through the UK Business Climate Hub to achieve net zero by 2050.
Entrants must then describe in 200 words the measures they have taken on the journey to net-zero.
The winners and shortlist in each category will be selected by judges Andrew Griffith MP, the UK’s Business Net Zero Champion; James Close from NatWest Group; Gabrielle Giner from BT; and Marta Smart from SSE.
A 2020 surveyby the European Investment Bank found that over a third of UK business believe reducing CO2 emissions has a positive impact on demand for products and services.
Mr Griffith said: “The Heroes of Net Zero competition gives UK businesses of all sizes an exclusive opportunity to showcase how they are reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the run up to COP-26.
Competition winners will lead the way by sharing creative examples of actions every UK business can take to help us build back greener.”
