Green businesses can get more from LESS

A new support service is offering London businesses advice, much of it free, on how to reduce their environmental impacts whilst saving money.


The London Development Agency, run from City Hall, has teamed up with consultancy Atkins to provide what aims to be a comprehensive directory of environmental support services in the city as well as an online platform for sharing knowledge, skills and experience.

The London Environmental Support Service (LESS) website sets out to raise awareness amongst London’s business community of the number of ways they can minimise waste at every stage of the business process and manage resources more efficiently – improving profits while reducing their impact on the environment.

It will also build up a pool of quality-assured providers for businesses to use.

Charles Secrett, London Development Agency (LDA) board member, said: “LESS, the new LDA support service, is geared to help small and medium sized enterprises.

“All too often SMEs worry that the costs of change will outweigh the benefits. In fact, going green makes good economic sense. Saving energy, recycling wasted resources and reducing pollution can cut operating costs and improve competitiveness for small and big companies alike.

“It may seem a daunting proposition to change work practices, but the reality is far simpler provided the support is there. LESS will not only help London work towards a sustainable economy, but also improve the bottom-line for SMEs.”

Atkins, a widely respected name within the environmental sector, has developed and will run the new business support service for the LDA.

They were selected for the contract based on their expertise in environmental management and management consultancy.

Project manager, Niraj Saraf from Atkins said at the launch of LESS last Friday: “Today marks a big step forward in improving the accessibility of environmental support to businesses in London.

“The challenges for us now are to ensure that LESS represents the full range of quality services available and then to deliver those services, and be seen to deliver them.”

Sam Bond

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