Chesterfield sustainability

New trees planted in Staveley to mark National Tree Week

Sixteen new trees have been planted to celebrate National Tree Week and create an avenue feature in King George V Playing Field in Staveley.

Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua Worplesden) trees were planted by children from Staveley Junior School and representatives from the community including Councillors, Friends of King George V Playing Fields, Staveley King George Bowlers and Tree Wardens.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “It was great to go out and plant these new trees with members of the local community. It will create a new tree-lined avenue that will complement the other improvements that we have made to this playing field over the last year. This is a great community space and I hope everyone will enjoy it.”

Using accelerator funding from the Staveley Town Deal a new play area and outside gym were installed in King George V Playing Field in 2021.

These sit next to the skate park and bowling green, ensuring that the playing field is a place the whole community can enjoy.

National Tree Week is a campaign run by The Tree Council and its partners which takes place from 26 November until 4 December.

It marks the start of the annual tree planting season and thousands of trees across the UK will be planted.

The theme this year is #HiddenConnections, celebrating trees as a connecting force of our world. Bringing all of us closer to nature and also revealing the fascinating connected world below ground, from complex root systems to mysterious mycorrhiza.

Find out more about the range of developments taking place in Staveley at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

If you want to help care for trees in Chesterfield you can volunteer for the Tree Warden project or you can suggest sites for community tree planting by emailing: greenspaces@chesterfield.gov.uk.

Staveley tree planting team

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Midlands Energy Summit shines spotlight on region’s opportunity to become ‘famous’ in future energy agenda

The East Midlands needs to determine which part of the future energy agenda it wants to lead if it is to attract overseas investors, an audience of business leaders heard at a conference.

Speakers at the Midlands Energy Summit, held by East Midlands Chamber in partnership with the University of Nottingham at the Hilton East Midlands Airport hotel today (1 December), emphasised the importance of the region having a clear focus when it comes to prioritising various energy strands.

Nora Senior, chair of the East Midlands Freeport, said becoming “famous” for an aspect of the green economy will help to establish clusters of businesses to accelerate innovation and create new jobs, while demonstrating a local commitment to achieving net zero will help to attract inward investment.

Many of the solutions will come from academic research and the University of Nottingham’s vice-chancellor Professor Shearer West CBE, as well as Sustainable Hydrogen Centre for Doctoral Training director Professor Gavin Walker, showcased some of its work in the areas of transport and mobility, energy generation and management, and communities and the built environment.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said: “With our industrial heritage, world-class research in our universities, central location and the UK’s busiest cargo airport, our region has all the raw ingredients required to be a national and international leader in the net zero economy.

“This is why we are calling the East Midlands a Centre of Trading Excellence in our new Business Manifesto for Growth, which was launched in Westminster last week and calls for Government ‘to back the East Midlands to back the UK’.

“We believe there is plenty to get behind here but there is also a lot for us to think about as a region. The East Midlands Freeport offers a fantastic opportunity to create a name for ourselves on a global stage but as we heard during the Midlands Energy Summit, we need to consider what the focus should be – whether it’s in hydrogen, battery production or aerospace, for example.

“It’s also important that as a region, we demonstrate a commitment to growing our competitiveness in the right way as this is what investors across the world want to see when they decide where to throw their backing.

“More broadly, energy security is a hot topic for many organisations as our research tells us the number one concern for businesses right now is rising energy costs, which is also the main driver of inflation.

“Businesses are eager to work in partnership with Government and the energy industry to develop a long-term energy strategy that gives them certainty about security of supply and minimises costs, which will enable firms to get on with doing what they do best in creating wealth and opportunities locally.”

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25,000 new trees planted in Stand Wood above Chatsworth

A major replanting of Stand Wood, the woodland that sits on the steep hill behind Chatsworth House, is taking place to restore thousands of trees to the landscape which includes the Hunting Tower and four reservoirs.

The Forestry team at Chatsworth is hard at work planting around 25,000 new trees to create a more diverse woodland with a much wider variety of species including oak, hornbeam, birch, alder, sycamore and yew trees across its 383 acres. All of the saplings have been grown in UK nurseries and while different species grow at different rates, most of the tree canopy is expected to be above head height in the next 10-15 years.

John Everitt, Forestry Manager at Chatsworth: “We have records showing the woodland has been planted and replanted many times over the centuries. It’s part of the natural cycle with older trees and plants replaced with new growth – the trees we have recently replanted will soon grow to create a mature woodland again.”

“In fact, one of our retired foresters, Brian Gilbert, recently brought in some photos of him working in Stand Wood in the early 1960s. One particular photo caught my attention and shows a young Brian with a piece of pine pit wood slung over his shoulder, probably for use in the collieries that were such an important part of the local economy at the time.”

“He’s stood on the road between the Hunting Tower and Park Gate Farm, with the timber on his shoulder being felled from the top side of the track as part of a gale tidy up during a bad winter in February 1963. In the background of the picture are young larch, beech, oak and sweet chestnut trees planted following wartime felling. These are the same larch and sweet chestnut trees which we have recently had to fell as mature trees due to the Phytophthora outbreak.”

The replanting of affected areas with a greater mixture of species will help make Stand Wood more disease-resistant as it replaces trees which had to be felled after approximately 5500 trees (3500 tonnes of wood) became infected with a deadly water mould called Phytophthora Ramorum. The mould affects bark and foliage, usually leads to death and particularly damages Larch as well as some other trees and plants

The diseased trees were cut down to help prevent further spread of the disease to other areas of woodland on the estate and in neighbouring woodlands. Working with the Forestry Commission to identify the infected areas, the Chatsworth Forestry team felled and removed all the larch and sweet chestnut trees within these areas and in surrounding areas where larch trees were at risk.

Old paintings of Chatsworth show that the hillside behind the house was completely devoid of trees until it was replanted in the 18th century with the woodland having undergone partial felling and replanting on a number of occasions since. Among the oldest, at the crest, are several mature beech trees from the 18th or early 19th century.

Comprising nearly 4,000 acres, Chatsworth’s woodlands sequester around 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent a year – almost four times the annual emissions from owned and operated property in the Chatsworth Estate.

Chatsworth Forestry and Arboriculture is responsible for the stewardship and management of all woodlands and individual trees across the entire Chatsworth Estate. The woodlands are managed under the UK Woodland Assurance Standard, FSC® certified and audited annually to ensure Chatsworth is operating to the highest industry standards.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield residents, businesses and community groups encouraged to have their say on climate change

Residents, businesses and community groups across the borough are being invited to have their say on local plans to reduce the impact of climate change, as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s ongoing commitment to tackle the climate emergency.

By taking part in the new survey, people can help shape the council’s next climate change strategy which will set out how the authority will continue to reduce its own environmental impact, while working with the community to lower emissions across the borough.

The updated strategy will build on the success of ambitious work already underway to help the council become a carbon neutral organisation by 2030, and to lay the groundwork for Chesterfield to become a carbon neutral borough by 2050.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Since we declared a climate emergency in 2019, we have taken clear and effective action to lower the environmental impact of our services – focussing our efforts where we can make the biggest difference.

“This includes a £13.7m programme to reduce carbon emissions from our council homes, at least 1000 trees being planted each year since 2019, a switch to renewable energy purchases for electricity, and policies across the council which builds a consideration of climate change into all that we do.

“We’re now moving to the next phase of these plans and this updated strategy will underpin our ongoing efforts to achieve our robust targets – ensuring we continue to act now, to safeguard our future.”

Residents, businesses, or community groups can comment on the strategy themes by visiting the council’s website where they can find a background document, glossary, and link to the online survey until Monday 12 December.

Councillor Serjeant added: “The climate crisis is one of the biggest issues facing our communities, now and in the future and we know it’s important to local people and businesses. But we can’t tackle this alone. We need to work together to understand what we need to do and commit to taking further action in the areas we can make the most difference – such as how we use land and buildings across the borough, the transport networks we have and the amount of energy we all use.

“We’re urging residents, businesses and community groups across the borough to review and comment on our plans, to help make sure we create a borough which is safe and sustainable for everyone.”

The council is committed to work towards meeting the 2030 target by eliminating greenhouse gas emissions within its direct control and offsetting those emissions that cannot be eliminated by 2030. The council also aims to work with the community to support the transition to a carbon neutral borough by 2050 at the latest.

The first Climate Change Action Plan was officially adopted by the council in 2020 – and has made strong progress against the 45 actions which were identified for the council to take between 2019 and 2023.

The new strategy builds on these achievements and aims to ensure progress can be maintained to reach the target in 2030.

Annual delivery plans will be developed to support the new strategy and will also be shared with the community to comment on and get involved in the plans.

To take part in the survey please visit the council website before Monday 12 December: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/climate-survey

 

 

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New walking and cycling route confirmed for Chesterfield

Derbyshire County Council has decided to go ahead with plans for a dedicated walking and cycling route for Chesterfield- which will run from the east side of the town, up to the Royal Hospital.

The decision means Crow Lane in Chesterfield will close permanently to vehicles, while a cycle lane will be built on Chatsworth Road. The current 30mph speed limit on Chatsworth Road will also be extended.

These decisions were taken by the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal on 9 November and follow a public consultation.

Work will start on some sections of the route this autumn. Crow Lane will close permanently at some point in the new year, once work to create a cycle and walking route from the station to the start of the closed Crow Lane section has taken place.

The Government has awarded Derbyshire County Council £1.68 million to create the new route. It will go from the A619 junction with Holymoor Road, along Chatsworth Road and the existing Hipper Valley Trail, through Queen’s Park, past the train station and to the hospital and beyond by using Crow Lane and Wetlands Lane.

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal said: “We have listened carefully to what people told us in the consultation and looked at all the alternatives given. “Creating this route across Chesterfield will give many more people the opportunity to get out of their cars, and either walk or cycle to get into town, or up to the hospital.

“We know that many hospital staff walked or cycled on Crow Lane at the height of the pandemic, and we would expect numbers to increase when the lane closes to vehicles again for good.”

In total 1,240 people responded to the consultation, which was widely publicised.

For the Crow Lane closure, 752 people supported this with 416 people objecting. 980 people supported the 30mph extension on Chatsworth Road, with 178 objections. For the cycle lane on Chatsworth Road 741 people supported this, with 430 objecting.

The council also received two petitions, one supporting the closure of Crow Lane, with 522 signatures, and one against the closure with 744 signatures.

In total, adding together the results of the consultation and the results of the petition, there were more people wanting Crow Lane to close permanently than not (738 for (51%), 638 against (44%) 72 abstaining (5%)).

Cycling in Queens Park - Get on your bike in Chesterfield

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Luxury Derbyshire housebuilder announces new eco development in Chesterfield

Woodall Homes has announced a gated development of nine luxury homes in Chesterfield.

Nine two and three-bedroom detached bungalows will be available at the development on Newbold Road, boasting fully-fitted kitchens, luxury bathroom suites, landscaped gardens and all powered by Wondrwall, a world-leading intelligent home automation and heating system coupled with renewable energy generating solar panels and battery storage.

As well as allowing users to control all aspects of the homes heating, lighting and security through the Wondrwall app, this complete home energy management system also utilises artificial intelligence and self-learning technology to adapt to the occupant’s daily routine and preferences. Automatically minimising energy bills and the environmental impact of the home by reducing demand and only using the energy that is required at its lowest possible cost and carbon intensity.

David Wood, Managing Director at Woodall Homes, said: “We are delighted to announce our new development, The Shrubberies, complete with Wondrwall technology in each home.

“Sustainability should be at the forefront of the build process for every developer, and we are proud to deliver an eco-development of this standard in Chesterfield.”

To find out more about homes at The Shrubberies, head to their website: https://www.woodallhomes.co.uk/developments/the-shrubberies/.

Woodall Homes’ Planning Director, Darren Abbott (pictured top right) recently spoke about how housing developments are attracting an influx of young families to live and work in Chesterfield. Find out more about what was discussed at the Summit back in September: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/10/new-investment-sites-set-to-open-up-across-chesterfield/

Whether it’s a town or village experience, contemporary or traditional housing, buying or renting, living in Chesterfield and the surrounding area is affordable and offers something for everyone. Find out more about living in Chesterfield here.

Woodall Homes supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield manufacturer Robinson invests in new equipment for its fast-growing Paperbox division

Chesterfield-based packaging manufacturer Robinson has invested more than half a million pounds in state-of-the-art SATE machinery for its UK Paperbox division.

Demand has risen as more and more luxury goods manufacturers seek out UK based packaging suppliers for reliability of delivery and quality of product. Robinson is becoming a number one choice amongst UK brands as a trusted local paperboard packaging supplier meeting sustainability commitments.

The paperboard market is expected to grow at a year-on-year rate of 3.5% creating a significant opportunity for UK suppliers.

Dr Helene Roberts, CEO at Robinson, said: “We are leading the way and continually investing in technology to keep us at the forefront of the market. Robinson has been in production for over 150 years. From this we have a breadth and depth of unmatched knowledge and expertise; that’s why we work with some of the world’s leading brands to create their most impactful and appealing packaging and why we are now investing in SATE machinery to create the best packaging in the most sustainable way.”

The new equipment – based at the site in Chesterfield – offers huge advantages in terms of production and quality of the finished product with savings on fixed production costs, consistency and reliability, and ease of use and maintenance.

Robinson UK MD Steve Haley States: “We are all really excited about the recent investments at Paperbox which is aligned to our strategic growth plans. This latest new machine will take us to new levels in terms of production output, machine capabilities and efficiencies to support our customer base.”

The SATE format change over time is reduced, even up to 15 minutes in the case of changes between similar formats, and never more than 1 hour in the case of assembly of kits for special formats or formats completely different from the previous one.

The operational logic and simplicity allow the creation of boxes with large windows without burrs or misalignments. Better management of the gluing process has made it possible to eliminate the annoying problem of “glue gaps”, especially visible in the final part of the sheet, which ruin the final result.

The renewed paper feeding system means the machine can manage sheets with a minimum weight of 70 g/m2 without the need for special measures and the machine can start fully automatically, until the glue is ready on the moving rollers. It is possible to set a schedule for shifts, daily and weekly, in order to find the machine ready upon arrival at the company.

At the end of the work, on a simple command from the operator, the machine takes care of carrying out the washing process in a totally automatic and accurate way.

Internal and external bubbles are completely eliminated during processing, increasing the actual and perceived quality of the final product.

It has the lowest energy consumption in its class, up to 60% less energy requirement compared to competing lines because the S-Line recovers energy when it decelerates. A completely new and innovative approach to save energy and increase efficiency.

The S line machines work a wide variety of different boxes, even punched, with tape or Hot-Melt stitching. Everything has been done to enhance speed and precision, reducing any dead time and machine downtime. In addition to this, the line offers integrated tele-assistance, generating a final report, and a complete processing control that gives maximum choice to the customer.

Robinson partners with some of the world’s most luxurious brands, from concept to commercialisation, creating sustainable packaging made from 100% post-consumer recycled material, which is widely recyclable.

Robinson’s paperboard factory in Chesterfield is strategically located centrally to remain competitively agile while reducing transportation times and associated carbon emissions. With extensive storage facilities of 13,000 sq ft, it allows customers to take advantage of the competitive price whilst having a highly responsive supply chain that can meet customer demands.

It is estimated that Robinson, on average, save customers 12 weeks of lead time by sourcing in the UK in comparison to the Far East.

Robinson specialises in custom packaging with technical solutions for hygiene, safety, protection, and convenience. It manufactures injection and blow moulded plastic packaging and rigid paperboard luxury packaging.

The company supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield’s top sustainable businesses set to be named in annual awards

Four Chesterfield businesses are in the running to be named as the winner of the Sustainability Award in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management.

Astra Designs UK, Bridge Help, Northern Tea Merchants and Robinsons PLC have all been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award which is sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The Sustainability Award was introduced to the Love Chesterfield Awards and recognises organisations that demonstrates a commitment to sustainable business practices and are working towards becoming carbon neutral.

The four finalists not only measure and report their progress but have also demonstrated a commitment to sustainability during the past five years.

Donna Swift-Moore, Designer and Company Director at Astra Designs explained: “With the fashion industry being the second worst industry for polluting water from dyeing textiles and over a third of all clothing being sent to landfill, it is vital for us to create fashion that has the least impact possible.

Donna Swift-Moore, Astra Designs

“I’m absolutely over the moon that our company has been recognised as a finalist for the Sustainability Award. Our entire business is built around creating sustainable fashion and accessories, so being acknowledged for this is truly amazing.”

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help commented: “At the start of this year, we were delighted to become carbon neutral. To be recognised by the Love Chesterfield Awards for the work we’ve done in achieving this is fantastic. Sustainability is incredibly important to us; it is something the whole team is passionate about.”

Chris Sellars, Bridge Help

James Pogson, Director at Northern Tea Merchants said: “We put a great deal of time and focus into understanding the impact of the work we do. From the food miles right down to the packaging, we’re always striving to make the operation as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. We’ve made some significant positive steps over the last five years and it’s wonderful to get this recognition.”

James Pogson, Northern Tea Merchants

Helene Roberts, CEO at Robinson PLC commented: “Sustainability is at the core of what we do as a business here at Robinson and we are working on a wide range of initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment, as well as enhance the experience of our employees and local communities in which we operate.

“We are delighted to be selected as a finalist for the sustainability award; the team at our Rigid Box site in Chesterfield is proud that our products are not only 100% recyclable and made from 95% recycled materials, but also promote consumers to reuse the beautiful presentation and gift boxes in the home.”

Dr Helene Roberts, CEO of Robinson PLC

Chesterfield Borough Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since committed to the Council and borough becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and 2050 respectively.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re proud to sponsor the Sustainability Award. We all need to work together to tackle the climate crisis and reduce our emissions. It’s important that we celebrate and learn from those businesses that are leading the way and changing their business practices to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Cllr Amanda Serjeant

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented on the importance of recognising sustainability: “Having forward-thinking businesses and individuals is something that Chesterfield prides itself on and the four businesses shortlisted for the Sustainability Award are no exception, helping the town achieve its ambitions of becoming carbon neutral.”

Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair

The Sustainability Award is one of 15 categories in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards. The winners of all the categories will be announced at a glittering black-tie ceremony at The Winding Wheel Theatre on Wednesday 12 October.

See the full list of 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards finalists here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/finalists/

As well as Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management and Chesterfield Borough Council, the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards are also supported and made possible by Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, BusinessWise Accounting and Tax, DBC Training, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Elder Way, Great2, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, Minuteman Press Chesterfield, MSE Hiller, Peak Pharmacy, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd and Sutton McGrath Hartley.

Peter Swallow added: “After the uncertainty of the last two years, the Destination Chesterfield team is working to ensure the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards is the best yet, which is only possible through the generosity of our sponsors.”

There are a limited number of sponsorship packages available. If you’re interested in sponsoring the awards, information is available at www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/sponsors/sponsorshippackages/ or by contacting Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator by emailing Tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk or calling 01246 207 207.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Love Chesterfield Awards, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , ,

Eligible Chesterfield homeowners to receive green funding boost

Eligible homeowners in Chesterfield could benefit from support to make fully funded energy efficient improvements to their properties – and reduce their bills.

Chesterfield Borough Council has teamed up with Marches Energy Agency, and E.ON Energy Solutions to help residents make energy improvements to their properties, after successfully securing funding from the Government’s Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme.

Through the scheme, a number of people in Chesterfield will be contacted directly by Marches Energy Agency, inviting them to apply for fully funded energy efficient improvements. The improvements will include External Wall Insulation or Solar Panels. A small number of grants may also be available for loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and room in roof insulation.

Households who are believed to be eligible will be contacted directly by Marches Energy Agency, inviting them to apply. To be eligible, the following criteria needs to be met:

  • You are an owner-occupier
  • Your home has an Energy Performance Certificate of D, E, F or G.

You can check your EPC online using www.epcregister.com. We can get you a free EPC if you haven’t got one.

AND

  • You receive a means-tested benefit OR your combined annual household income is under £30,000 (gross)

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We understand that it’s a difficult time for many people as the cost of living continues to rise, in particular energy charges. With funding secured through the Green Homes Grants scheme, we can support homeowners in making improvements to their home to help to increase the warmth and comfort of their homes, whilst also reducing energy bills and carbon emissions.

“This scheme will play a key part in our work to help tackle the ongoing issue of fuel poverty in Chesterfield, and it will also help to support our ambition of creating a carbon neutral Borough by 2050. In Chesterfield almost 60% of annual greenhouse gas emissions are from buildings, by ensuring buildings are more energy efficient this will lead to a significant reduction in emissions.”

Further information on the scheme can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/housing/private-property/green-homes-grant

Due to limited funding, the grants are not open to the wider public at the moment, however if you have any questions or would like any advice on how to make energy efficient improvements to your property, you can contact the Marches Energy Agency local team (Warmer Derby and Derbyshire) by calling 08006771332 and selecting option two, or by emailing wdd@mea.org.uk

Manor Drive, Brimington

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SDE Group to offer customers a ‘zero-carbon pathway’ with new business unit

Chesterfield’s SDE Group is set to provide customers with advice and solutions on cutting their costs and carbon footprint.

SDE Energy Solutions will be able to offer customers (domestic & commercial) a suite of services from Solar, Battery, Wind & Heat solutions for home or estate management at work place locations.

The company has made significant investment into this new business unit by recruiting industry experts & the relevant accreditations to operate in the market place.

Jonathan Bennett, Managing Director at SDE Group commented: “At SDE Group, we are always looking for ways to keep up with current trends and increase our sustainability efforts. Our business strategy for the last 12 months – ‘A Pathway to Become Carbon Neutral’ – has been to offer renewable energy to other companies to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.

“Given the increasingly high energy costs, we feel extremely fortunate to be able to offer businesses a solution that will not only have a huge impact on their internal costs, but also environmental factors too. This is complimented by our EV Solutions business – SDE Electrical which helps support the reduction in high energy costs for consumer and workplace. This allows SDE Group to provide a complete end-to-end solution for renewable and creating ways to reduce costs for customers.

Jonathan also explained how the company is leading by example on reducing its carbon emissions: “Using renewable energy provides a reliable power source whilst helping reduce many environmental implications we are currently facing. In order for us to become a more sustainable company, we have recently invested in Solar Panels at our head office which provides us with an opportunity to cut energy bills which will affect us for years to come.

“Providing services such as wind turbines also contribute to fewer global warming emissions as well as improving your community image by showcasing your efforts to become a more sustainable company. Investing in renewable technologies will also help businesses to improve on their public relations in becoming more environmentally friendly, which could be the difference between them been chose over competitors.”

To find out more about SDE Energy Solutions, go to: info@sde-group.co.uk or call 01246 827722.

SDE Group supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Big jump in number of East Midlands businesses selling green products, new research shows

The proportion of East Midlands businesses now selling green goods and services has almost trebled over the past seven years, according to new research by East Midlands Chamber and Derby Business School at the University of Derby.

In 2015, 16% of companies in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire derived turnover from supplying environmentally-friendly goods – such as energy efficiency, waste recovery and eco-food and drink products – but this increased to 45% in 2022 as more firms identified opportunities in the UK’s race to net zero.

However, the Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands 2022 study, a unique piece of research of the regional growth trends over the past seven years, found that 35% of businesses still aren’t engaged with green growth – with reasons cited including gaps in information, skills and access to finance.

The Chamber launched a Sustainable East Midlands initiative in 2020 that aims to educate firms about the importance of embracing low-carbon business practices in order to cut costs, win new contracts, and recruit and retain the best talent – while also signposting to funding opportunities.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said: “The net zero agenda presents a big challenge to businesses but there is also a raft of opportunities for those eager to tackle it head-on by creating the products and services that will help steer the energy transition.

“Amid the current cost of doing business crisis, a move towards sustainable products and services could unlock the long-term efficiency gains that offset rising prices while creating a sustainable East Midlands economy.

“While it’s great to see more engagement among SMEs, there remains a significant gap between large and small firms, and it’s slightly concerning to see the number of organisations accessing business support has dropped in recent times.

“We need our decision-makers to develop policy mechanisms that are better aligned with regional business interests and specific sector needs in order to intensify engagement, while companies also need financial support to reskill and upskill our existing workforce. This will enable us to continue with the great progress we’ve already made in this generation’s most important issue.”

Other key findings from the research, which was based on responses from 372 organisations in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottingham to the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey in February 2022, included:

• There is a rising trend of diversification into green markets, with a four-fold increase (7.5% to 28.5%) in businesses reporting that between 1% and 19% of their turnover derives from green goods and services between 2015 and 2022
• The proportion of businesses considering green growth as part of their business strategies has more than doubled over the past four years from 9.7% in 2018 to 21.5% in 2022
• More than 80% of large businesses are actively pursuing green growth opportunities, compared with 61% of medium, 56% of small and 36% of micro-sized companies
• Only 17% of firms surveyed said the current policy landscape allows them to fully engage with green growth
• A third (33%) did not feel well-informed about the support available for green growth, although this was a drop from 42% in 2021
• The largest demands for skills development are in the areas of energy and resource efficiency, renewables and access to green finance

Report lead Dr Polina Baranova, a senior lecturer in strategic management, said: “It’s been positive to see such a positive trajectory in the proportion of firms entering the green goods and services markets, with SMEs becoming more active in green growth.

“Regionally, as the opportunities for green growth are becoming more pronounced, there is a need for a holistic approach to supporting pro-environmental businesses.”

Dr Fred Paterson, university lead for sustainable business and clean growth, added: “This growth is particularly encouraging in the context of the post-Covid economic recovery as it suggests there has been something of a ‘reset’ in how leaders are developing strategies to grow their business.”

Dr Baranova will discuss findings from the research at East Midlands Chamber’s Sustainability Summit on Thursday 22 September at the University of Derby Enterprise Centre. Find out more about the event here. 

 

 

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