frequently asked questions
Read below for answers to our most frequently asked questions about the Southwark Climate Collective.
Organisation size: up to 250 employees
Industry sector: any
Business location: based in Southwark
It’s completely free to take part in the Southwark Climate Collective, with all programme costs covered by funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by the Mayor of London.
Yes. The Southwark Climate Collective is open to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (0-250 employees) of all sizes.
Business sizes:
- Microenterprises (0 – 9 employees)
- Small enterprises (10 – 49 employees)
- Medium enterprises (50 – 249 employees)
As long as your Southwark site has fewer than 250 employees, your business is eligible to take part.
Yes. We would treat the sites as separate participants in the Southwark Climate Collective.
No. The Southwark Climate Collective is for Southwark-based businesses only. If your business has multiple sites, the site based in Southwark would be eligible to take part.
Yes. As long as one of those sites is located in Southwark, you are eligible to take part. While the technical support will be provided only to the site in Southwark, you are welcome to apply the learnings and recommendations to other sites as you see fit.
No. Businesses may only participate in one programme stream.
The application deadline has been extended to 2nd February 2024.
Yes, please complete the online registration form. There is an option to indicate “No preference” or “Unsure” on stream selection. Our team can help you to decide which programme stream is a good fit for your business. Please contact us to arrange a time to discuss.
No. There are no consequences for not achieving the target for your programme stream. We have carefully set these targets and believe they are achievable for all businesses. The targets are there as a motivator and a guide and should not deter businesses from taking part.
Yes. We recommend that businesses based in public sector buildings take part in the freight, waste or supply chains programme stream. Public buildings can access no-cost energy efficiency support and technical assistance through the GLA’s Retrofit Accelerator – Workplaces (RA-W) to support decarbonisation efforts.
No. The Southwark Climate Collective will be open to owners, owner-occupiers, building managers and tenants. Participants must have some influence over the workplace and the ability to make changes to how the space is operated.
No. It is not a requirement for businesses to have permission from their landlord to participate. It may be beneficial to have buy- in from the landlord, but as long as your business can make operational changes to your workplace, you can still participate.
Yes. The Southwark Climate Collective is open to businesses at any stage along their decarbonisation journeys, and may be able to help you achieve your target, or accelerate your efforts. Please assess the technical support offered by the programme to ensure that it is not duplicative of your existing initiatives.
By participating in the BCC, you can:
- Reduce costs through more-efficient operations and cleaner technologies
- Distinguish your business to clients, staff, and talent who are looking for a commitment to sustainability
- Support London’s target of net zero emissions by 2030
- Improve the value and health of your workplace
- Access a network of like-minded businesses throughout Southwark that are participating in the Collective
- Be recognised as a leading London business and a climate action pioneer.
Support and resources offered through the Southwark Climate Collective include:
- Audit – bespoke audit of your business for your chosen programme stream: energy, freight, waste, supply chains
- Recommendation report – list of steps your business can take to achieve your programme stream target
- Data dashboard – visualisation of the progress your business is making towards your target
- Training sessions – complementary training to help your business to implement recommended measures for your programme stream
- Carbon Literacy training – upskilling for you and your colleagues
Knowledge sharing – opportunities to meet other businesses in the Southwark Climate Collective - Celebration event – have your business recognized as a Mayor of London’s leading business taking action on climate change
The programme is designed to offer light-touch support, with one training session or networking event scheduled every couple of months over the course of the year, and a mix of in-person and online formats. We anticipate this averaging roughly one hour per week, although of course, there will be busier periods of activity and quieter ones.
Following the initial audit and recommendation report, participants will have access to their data dashboard throughout the duration of the programme.
After conducting a bespoke audit, specialists will provide a recommendation report outlining various measures to enhance operational efficiency and cut costs within your organisation.
Among participants in the first iteration of the programme, average energy cost savings were approximately £8,300 (16%). Cohort-wide, businesses have saved nearly £120,000 in less than a year.
Yes. Taking action through the Southwark Climate Collective offers businesses the opportunity to deliver real emissions reductions. Businesses participating in the pilot saw a total reduction of 213 tons of CO2 equivalent in the first nine months of the programme.
A member of the Southwark Climate Collective team will be your key contact throughout the programme. Participating organisations will need to identify a dedicated project lead who will act as the main interface for the Southwark Climate Collective. You must also appoint a decision maker who can approve recommended implementation measures. The decision maker can also act as a project lead.
Once your application has been accepted, your organisation will commit to taking part in the Southwark Climate Collective for the course of the 12-month programme and making the best of the available support. Your chosen programme stream (energy, freight, waste or supply chains) will have a target for your business to work towards.
Over the 12-months your business will receive: audit, recommendation report, data dashboard, trainings, working events, Carbon Literacy training and a celebration event.
