Until December 2024 – Birmingham & Solihull Council are supporting suppliers to improve sustainability, eligibility for funding & grants, and to provide resources to identify decarbonisation outcomes.
FREE Support for Birmingham and Solihull SMEs:
- One-to One Support: Exchange information and identify opportunities to qualify for the SSCBAS programme through an initial consultation
- Competitive Advantage: From 2025 sustainability will score 20% of the weightings in tenders, engagement in SSCBAS will support improved sustainability metrics
- Grant Readiness: Resources from Birmingham & Solihull Councils’ sustainability teams provide insight and support ensure your business meets the criteria for sustainability grant awards and investment
- Investor Relations & Reputation: Organisations demonstrating decarbonisation planning can be more attractive to investors through demonstrating corporate social responsibility
- Training Events: Leam and gain support to embed decarbonisation and sustainability planning in your organisation
- First Mover Advantage: Only 56 spaces are available for SMEs to access the programme on a first come first served basis – register your interest today
- Improved EBITDA: Improved sustainability measures and decarbonisation frequently results in lower operational costs (OPEX), improving the bottom line whilst on the path to net zero
Introduction
The Sustainable Supply Chains – Birmingham & Solihull (SSCBAS) programme offers FREE Supply Chain Sustainability support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to embed sustainability and decarbonisation plans in line with government targets – by improving their knowledge base, and access to sustainability and decarbonisation advice.
In addition, support is provided to coach and enhance eligibility of SMEs in Solihull and Birmingham to successfully receive sustainability grant funding from the Government.
Developing sustainability and decarbonisation plans with the UKSPF will support your business’s future growth opportunities through optimising the Social Value weightings in tenders — which represents up to 20% of the overall measurement criteria within the tender bidding process.
How Does It Work?
Step 1 – Consult
An initial short consultation will take place, to discuss sustainability within the context of your organisation’s current emissions context. Identify areas to improve the capabilities of the organisation to develop decarbonisation strategy and plans, whilst ensuring SME support programmes, networks and grants are utilised to best effect.
Step 2 – Identify
Online or face to face training and embedding of sustainability plans and practices. Step guides to the development of decarbonisation plans.
Step 3 – Target
Active support to help businesses be ‘grant ready’ when making applications for government grants to fund sustainability programmes and measures.
Step 4 – Support
Ongoing support for SME’s to understand and support operational and behaviour change to achieve your organisations sustainability goals.
What’s next?
When is this happening?
The SSCBAS Programme is a new government investment and initiative which is available to a limited number of SME’s based in Birmingham and Solihull — from January 2024 until March 2025.
Where is this happening?
The consultations and support can be delivered through online individual sessions, onsite sessions at your organisation or through group remote/virtual training sessions. Each programme is tailored to the SME’s requirements which are discussed during the initial consultation.
Am I eligible?
Your business must meet the definition of a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and be located within the Birmingham and Solihull area.
Is my business an SME?
Yes, if you have:
- Fewer than 250 full-time employees
- An annual turnover not exceeding £43.5 million, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding £37 million.
To find out more about the SSCBAS programme, and how this FREE support can benefit your business today, contact the team on: sscbas@birmingham.gov.uk
