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Produced in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses. The report - The less than 1% Club - presents the findings of a study the ERC undertook earlier in the year in which we mapped the net zero business support available for small businesses in England.
The research identified a total of 282 net zero support programmes offering 719 interventions, encompassing various types of support, such as grants, audits, mentoring, and more.
Programmes were mainly provided free of charge and were inclusive and open to all small businesses, but they weren’t targeted specifically to the needs of microbusinesses. We found that the net zero support landscape is a fragmented ecosystem. Multiple initiatives are operating independently with a lack of centralisation and coordination.
Although programmes exist in all regions, there are concerns about accessibility and reach. We estimate that the number of recipients of support comprise less than 1% of the total SME population, and funding for programmes primarily relies on statutory sources, with local authorities and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) playing significant roles.
The future availability of funds, including from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, may impact the continuation of programmes.
The full report can be found in your Bdaily Premium Resource Centre
