Environmental and sustainable accreditation schemes
Demonstrating your business's green credentials can be enhanced by undergoing more formal accreditation.
This is a process where an independent organisation assesses your business against a recognised standard, such as ISO 14001 for environmental management or Carbon Trust accreditation schemes.
According to British Business Bank research (PDF, 210 KB), smaller businesses are estimated to account for half of all UK's business-driven emissions.
As such, undertaking the steps required to achieve an internationally recognised certification could be a valuable path to net zero.
From reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions to implementing an effective waste management system, environmental certification schemes can deliver operational efficiency, lower costs, and boost your business's reputation (PDF, 581 KB).
According to the British Business Bank report, 94% of small businesses have already taken at least one action to reduce emissions.
Environmental standards such as ISO 14001 are created by independent standard organisations such as the International Organization for Standardization.
Third-party organisations such as the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the British Assessment Bureau offer certification services designed to help you implement an environmental management system and comply with ISO 14001 standards.
There are many environmental and Sustainability standards to investigate, and it's worth comparing different standards to choose the right one for your organisation.
Further resources
To help get you started, we've rounded up a sample of accreditation schemes:
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Reference to any organisation, business and event on this page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation from the British Business Bank or the UK Government. Whilst we make reasonable efforts to keep the information on this page up to date, we do not guarantee or warrant (implied or otherwise) that it is current, accurate or complete. The information is intended for general information purposes only and does not take into account your personal situation, nor does it constitute legal, financial, tax or other professional advice. You should always consider whether the information is applicable to your particular circumstances and, where appropriate, seek professional or specialist advice or support.
Green Decoder
Featuring a glossary of sustainable terms curated in partnership with the Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University, our green decoder is helping smaller businesses decipher the terminology surrounding decarbonisation.
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