Businesses across the Hadleigh region have been recognised for their environmental successes at this year's Carbon Charter event, held at Anglia Car Charging's headquarters in Broome on 5 July 2023.

More than 100 representatives from nearby businesses of all sizes came together to hear from guest speakers and share their journeys as they all work towards a lower carbon future.

The Carbon Charter was set up in 2010 by Suffolk County Council and the Environment Agency. Since then, it has given 738 Carbon Charter awards to companies that have delivered on a commitment to reduce their impact on the environment, by reducing their carbon emissions, supporting their local community and developing green spaces.

Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance & Environment, said: "Many of Suffolk's businesses are at the forefront of environmental innovation. It's incredibly positive to see dozens of local enterprises coming together, sharing their experiences and inspiring each other to not only drive down carbon emissions but also reduce the bills they pay.

"When a business measures their emissions, very often the majority comes from the things they buy from their supply chain, rather than the things under their direct control. For example at the County Council, over 90% of the emissions we measure, come from the suppliers we use. It's great to hear that many businesses are starting to have a positive impact on the other companies they work with.

"More and more consumers look to the environmental credentials of businesses they support but we recognise that assessing their emissions can be daunting for some small businesses. The Carbon Charter continues to support local businesses, of any size, by guiding them through the changes they can make, and by celebrating their successes."

At the event, Gold Carbon Charter awards were presented to WHAT Associates, a creative agency from Ipswich, and Skyview Systems, a weather monitoring intelligence company based in Sudbury.

Lori Hunt, Environment Manager at Skyview Systems, said: "To be presented with the Gold award once again is such an honour. We are proud of the steps we have taken to reduce our carbon emissions to date, whilst communicating our efforts and learning from the valuable experiences of others within this important network.

"Whilst we celebrate our big achievements such as our large-scale solar panel systems and electric vehicles and chargers, which benefit us directly as a company – it is the smaller, less-publicised steps that we believe will impact the local and wider community. Our recent tree-planting scheme, for example, may not be within the scope of our day-to-day operations – but these long-term commitments will hopefully inspire our sphere of influence and have a long-lasting impact on the environment."

Businesses at any stage of their carbon reduction journey can benefit from the work of the Carbon Charter, whether they are not sure where to start, or are looking to take their efforts to the next level.

For businesses wanting to start on their carbon reduction journey, the Carbon Charter recently launched the 25 by 25 scheme. It is aimed at organisations taking their first steps and supporting them to reduce their emissions by 25% by 2025. 

For more information on the 25 by 25 scheme, and the Carbon Charter, visit www.carboncharter.org