The Green Recovery and Innovation Programme (GRIP) has recently been launched by SEMLEP. It is particularly aimed at SME’s in North and West Northamptonshire, including Wellingborough businesses.
SEMLEP’s Growth Hub are delivering the programme aiming to make it easier for businesses to become sustainable, efficient, innovative, and successful. The Government are funding GRIP using the UK Community Renewal Fund.
According to SEMLEP: “The effects of climate change are becoming clearer and clearer, and are currently only set to get worse.
“The science is unambiguous; we need to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 or risk facing serious consequences. Communities and businesses need to take action.”
The GRIP programme includes one-to-one support with numerous of experts, such as innovation and energy specialists, which will help business leaders to deliberate, recognise, create, and improve their innovation and sustainability plans.
These business leaders will also have the opportunity to attend several workshops created to benefit their productivity and help them make their business more sustainable.
These Northamptonshire businesses are also able to apply for grants of up to £10,000. SEMLEP state that the grants must be spent on “consultancy support and small capital items of up to £5,000 (50% private sector match required), and to support the innovations that will help make their business more sustainable”.
Businesses taking part in the programme will not only become more innovative and sustainable, but also more efficient and profitable by reducing waste and cutting costs.
SEMLEP’s Director of Programmes and Governance, Judith Barker, said: “This programme is a timely and much-needed boost for the many companies in Northamptonshire looking to accelerate innovation and make themselves more sustainable, both environmentally and financially. We welcome expressions of interest on our website from any Northamptonshire-based business.”
SEMLEP’s Growth Hub Board Chair, Rachel Mallows, added: “The Green Recovery and Innovation Programme is a wonderful demonstration that business success can and should go hand-in-hand with helping to protect the environment.
“It will make it easier than ever for Northamptonshire businesses to not only reduce their carbon footprint, but to evolve, grow and thrive at the same time.”
Find out more about the GRIP programme here.