Business Link

A free business advice and support service which also offers environmental guidance relevant to SMES in a section on Environment and Efficiency. For more information visit www.businesslink.gov.uk

Carbon Trust

Energy surveys and interest free loans are amongst the specialist support offered to businesses for energy management and opportunities to benefit from low carbon technologies. For comprehensive advice visit www.carbontrust.co.uk

Energy Savings Trust

To learn more about business energy efficiency and for a range of resources to help your organisation reduce carbon emissions then visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Envirowise

Free independent support is offered to businesses on how environmental impacts can be managed to improve resource efficiency at www.envirowise.co.uk
For advice on a range of issues begin by clicking on the links supplied below:
Rippleffect for water efficiency
Envirowise Green Officiency Guide for improving resource efficiency in the office
Envirowise - Green Street is a newly launched site to enable high street businesses to take the first steps to greening their operation

Environment Agency

As a UK government agency, the environment agency is responsible for enforcing legislation designed to control pollution and other environmental impacts..This site provides information for everybody affected by this including businesses and can be found at www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Net Regs

For clarification on how to comply with key pieces of environmental legislation relevant to UK Small Medium Enterprises, visit www.netregs.gov.uk

WRAP

The benefits for businesses of recognizing waste as a valuable resource are outlined in a practical way together with advice on how to profit from reducing waste and managing your individual material waste streams. your individual waste stream. Find out more on on voluntary agreements such as the Courtauld Commitment to reduce packaging and halving waste to landfill from the construction industry. www.wrap.org.uk.

For more information on energy

• Energy Savings Trust - Practical advice on business energy efficiency, including how to run a vehicle fleet in a way that reduces energy consumption and vehicle emissions
• The Carbon Trust - Information on energy efficiency, energy surveys and interest-free loans
• Business Link - Advice on how to make your buildings more energy efficient.
• Netregs - Quick guide to energy related legislation for England.
• BRE provides guidance on environmentally sustainable construction and refurbishment of commercial buildings in your sector

For more information on waste

• A comprehensive list of tips on how to reduce, re-use and recover paper and other waste
• NetRegs provide a comprehensive digest of waste-related legislation in the UK
• Wasteonline is a searchable document library which provides information on sustainability, resource use and waste issues for a range of products and materials.
• The Scottish Environment Protection Agency have produced a waste audit guide which, although originally intended for schools, has much used in other sectors.
• Environment Agency guidance on a range of business waste matters
• How to profit from retail waste
• Advice on cost effective management of organic waste from the food & drink and hospitality sectors
• Community RePaint provides a solution to this problem by providing an outlet for unwanted reusable paint while helping local communities and individuals.
• The National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC) advises on transport of dangerous substances and provides a range of tools that provide advice in the event of spillages, and fires.
• Environment Agency agricultural waste pages
• Resource efficiency and waste management in parks

For more information on water savings

• The Environment Agency's Waterwise Guide for businesses and industry
• Business Link water efficiency information
• Envirowise have a new water efficiency programme called the Rippleffect/li>
• Defra water saving advice
• The Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme for water saving technologies
• Waterwise is a UK NGO focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK
• Guidance for building developers on water efficiency measures to include in buildings - including a design and appliance guide
• BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is the most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings. It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de facto measure used to describe a building's environmental performance. It specifically addresses water efficiency as one of the measures.

For more information on resource efficiency and general environmental guidance relevant to your sector

• Manufacturing Advisory Service - provides advice on resource efficiency
• Envirowise - Chemical and pharmaceutical sector information
• Envirowise - Electronics sector resource efficiency information
• Envirowise - Engineering sector resource efficiency information
• Envirowise - Food and drink sector resource efficiency information
• DEFRA - Food Industry Sustainability Strategy
• Envirowise - Printing sector resource efficiency information
• Waste and Resources Action Plan resource efficiency - advice on all aspects of retail
• Advice for farmers and growers of all sizes on all aspects of environmental management
• Natural England is a government organisation with the remit to conserve and improve the natural environment. They are a source of information and guidance on agri-environment funding and wildlife management.
• The Construction Industry Council provides specific publications regarding sustainable development in construction.
• Envirowise also provides advice for sustainability within construction projects.
• Environmental guidance for freight and passenger transport businesses

For more information on greening your supply chain

• Forest Stewardship Council - promotes responsible production and consumption of forest products
• Product carbon labelling - a new method of assessing carbon impacts of purchasing
• Energy labelling - manufacturers are required to provide efficiency information to customers
• Organic standards - there is strict EU regulation to track products through the supply chain
• Guide to eco-design
• Centre for Sustainable Design - promotes eco-design through training, workshops, conferences, research and publications.
• Product packaging optimisation