Green councillor Robin Bennett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Economic Development at South Oxfordshire District Council, will speak at Wednesday’s Eco Business Fair in Henley, as part of Big Green Week.
The event is being run by South and Vale Business Support in partnership with Henley Town Council, Oxfordshire Greentech and Naked Planet.
South Oxfordshire District Council, controlled by a Green/Lib Dem partnership administration, has made strong commitments to climate action, including climate emergency declaration back in 2019. A climate action is currently being finalised, and should be published by the end of the year. For South Oxfordshire, the plan will set out the actions the council will take to become carbon neutral in its own operations by a target date of 2025. The aim for the district as a whole is 2030, well ahead of the government’s 2050 target.
Robin will talk about the support available for local businesses to thrive in this challenging time, as well as to continue the transition to a low-carbon economy. South and Vale business team has developed a Green Economic Recovery plan to support them, including:
· a partnership with Oxfordshire Greentech to support businesses to reduce carbon emissions,
· a One Planet Living workshop for businesses
· a recent Sustainable Construction event and planned skills work
· work with Sustainable Results Lab on digital carbon footprints,
· support for businesses moving towards a circular economy
· launch of a Virtual High Street scheme in the Autumn – to support people isolating or home-based to shop on their local high street.
· a ‘start-up’ guide to support people who want to start a new business
· varied opportunities to meet other business owners such as by ‘netwalking’, a healthy outdoor alternative to conventional networking.
· annual Autumn Business Survey for local businesses to tell the council of challenges and opportunities they’re facing, and what support is needed.
Robin says: “The good news is that we already have many long-established leaders in the field of sustainable business right here in Oxfordshire, so there is lots we can learn from how they have grown and sustained long before it was fashionable to be a green business, and we’re glad to be showcasing some of them at Henley Eco Business fair on Wednesday, as part of our Green Recovery Plan for South Oxfordshire.”
Henley Town Hall, Wednesday 22 September 2021. 10:00 – 15:00
