Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby City Councils’ Better Business Partnership (BBP) was officially launched with two sustainability events held in October.
The Better Business Partnership (BBP) is a new partnership project involving the three councils and is being assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust and Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Business Program.
At the sustainability events small to medium businesses were provided with information on:
- how easy it is to become more sustainable
- what can be done to reduce operating expenses
- what funding is available
- how businesses can receive free promotion and recognition of their sustainable actions
- who has already seen the benefits of joining the Partnership
- how to join the Better Business Partnership.
Participants heard from business owners across a range of industries on what they have done to become more sustainable, their experiences so far and how much they expect to save.
“The Better Business Partnership is an incredibly valuable regional project that is individually tailored to suit the varied small and medium sized businesses in our region,” said Willoughby Mayor Pat Reilly. “Local business owners are encouraged to participate in this program to help them reduce their environmental impacts, save money and promote themselves as sustainable businesses to their customers.”
More than 70 small businesses across the North Shore have already taken part in the successful pilot of the Better Business Partnership, and the project has now invited other businesses to join.
BBP has already helped more than 50 businesses undergo a professional energy assessment, identifying savings of more than $100,000 each year, or an average of $1,716 per business each year on energy bills alone.
Participating businesses have seen the benefit of preparing for increasing energy and water bills and taking advantage of government rebates available for implementing energy efficiency measures.
West Pymble Shopping Centre has embraced the program with 17 of their 22 businesses participating in the pilot program, taking up this opportunity to raise the profile of the centre while at the same time making their businesses more resilient to electricity price rises.
“Working with BBP made it easy for me to increase the sustainability of my business,” said Domenic Saraceno from Artarmon Fruit Market.
“The Project Officer provided options for reducing the impact and costs of my energy and water use and waste disposal.
“I used the rebates on offer to invest in more energy efficient forms of refrigeration and lighting thereby substantially reducing my energy costs.”
This business has the potential to save in excess of 15 per cent per year in energy bills and will access a rebate covering up to 50 per cent of the installation costs.
For further information on this project contact Rebecca Hill, Media and Marketing Group Manager, at Willoughby Council, telephone (02) 9777 7703.
