Draft Business Waste Strategy PDF - london.gov.uk - Greater ...

46 Mayor of London
Making waste work in London The Mayor’s Draft Business Waste Management Strategy
3.59 A coordinated, business-focused communication campaign, similar
to the Mayor’s Recycle for London campaign targeted at householders,
is required to demonstrate the environmental and economic case for
sustainable resource management. Linking to existing messages and
initiatives, the campaign could be targeted towards specific business
sectors and would be sensitive to businesses’ widely varied motivation
to change, be that cost savings, business and market opportunities
or a responsibility for the environment.
3.60 Such a campaign would also need to attract employees; a survey
of Londoners found that while 83 per cent say that that their
workplace provides adequate recycling facilities, nearly half do not
use those facilities 104 .
3.61 An awareness-raising campaign will not be sufficient in isolation.
New methods of communicating with businesses should also be
considered. Local authorities already communicate with local businesses,
through the collection of business rates, for example, and this could
provide an ideal conduit by which to communicate environmental
information and advice. This could particularly be used to raise awareness
of legal environmental responsibilities, for example, by working with
the Environment Agency to promote NetRegs, a website that contains
comprehensive business-focused information about environmental
legislation and obligations.
3.62 Some local authorities have established their own green business
programmes, for example:
■ the Clean City Awards Scheme, for businesses within the City of
London’s square mile, runs business seminars at which best practice
can be shared
■ Envibe, for businesses within the London Borough of Croydon,
provides links to a network of specialist organisations
■ Positive Environment Kingston, a joint initiative between Kingston
upon Thames Council and Kingston University, provides students
as Environmental Mentors to local businesses.
3.63 Business Improvement Districts are developing environmental forums
and programmes for local businesses, such as ‘Go Green’ the London
Bridge Environment Forum launched in October 2007. Businesses
within the London Bridge area will be able to attend networking
meetings, access environmental support and receive regular emails
detailing local environment issues.