[New] KINGSTON GREEN BUSINESS COMMUNITY

The Kingston Green Business Community (KGBC) was set up near the end of 2022 as a free-to-join community of Kingston-based businesses of all sizes, sectors, from wellestablished to start ups. The main aim is quite simple; to share knowledge, skills and bring together people driven to make a stronger environmental impact.

Collaborative work with academia, experts and other organisations will lead to co-creation of solutions to reduce local emissions and access funding. Instrumental will be the role of ‘green champions’ with a focus on particular industries or locations (i.e. a high-street, or an industrial park).

What members will get out of it?

The main value is brings together a community of like-minded people who are driven to make a stronger environmental impact, reduce their resources and costs. The other benefits include

• Expansion of business networks, collaboration, and commercial opportunities

• Capitalising on commercial opportunities from transition to a green economy

• Knowledge sharing and peer to peer support

• Ability to influence the skills agenda and access skilled people

• Benefit from collaboration and free and/ or low-cost support from educational institutions

• A stronger voice for lobbying aiming to address the business challenges to transition to a green economy

• Accessing funding for business support for eco-innovation and decarbonising the supply chain

What does being a member involve?

We would encourage members to be involved. Like any form of networking, the trust and familiarity strengthen ties and bonds. An important commitment is that member attends over 50% of scheduled Kingston Green Business Community meetings and events, nominating deputies if relevant. Other ways a member can be involved include:

• Championing the ‘greening’ of businesses and organisations within our Borough

• Sharing relevant communications and information to Community members & other businesses through their networks

• Endorse the Community and attract new members

• Share their knowledge about challenges & barriers to decarbonising and eco-innovation and suggest solutions to complex problems

• Making timely decisions and taking action

Our 2022-23 Action Plan

As we look at 2022/23, there are some broader, thematic areas that underpin the Kingston Green Business Community activities.

• Greening Kingston’s economy - innovating, growing & decarbonising

• Developing and promoting Green skills & employment

• Decarbonising business transport

• Exploring how we save and/or generating energy

• ‘Deep green’ - creating a unique, vibrant destination with green planting at scale which helps local businesses to thrive

These all contribute directly to the Kingston Climate Action Plan

The main value is brings together a community of like-minded people who are driven to make a stronger environmental impact, reduce their resources and costs.

Keeping connected

There are a number of ways that the KGBC members can be connected.

• Discord Communication platform for members; this is a new online platform for members to share knowledge and skills and set up by IQ in IT

• Kingston Council Business Newsletter

• Kingston Council & Chamber of Commerce Websites

• Kingston Council Business Community email address: business@kingston.gov.uk

Think Green Roundtable Discussions

These engaging online webinars bring together different businesses who are practicing sustainable processes. It is supported by Kingston Council, Kingston Chamber of Commerce and great business contributors. The discussions coming up include:

• Effectively communicating your environmental achievements

• Community Energy Opportunities

• Food Waste Management in Hospitality Sector

• Zero Waste (SLP Zero Waste Map)

• Healthy & Green Workplaces

Watch out for these announcements in 2023!

Other activities

There will be a number of other activities that Kingston Council and the KGBC will be utilising and signposting. These include:

• The Innovation & Growth in the South London

• Green Mark Re-Certification

• Environmental Reviews of Kingston Businesses pilot programme with webinars on:

• Energy Crisis Management (with Kingston Council, Better Futures+, and CREW)

• How to decarbonise your website (with Kingston Council and Better Futures+)

• Funding Green Projects: an EV case study (Virtual) (with Kingston Council, Better Futures+ and Concept Vehicle Leasing)

• Green Skills & Jobs

• A two-month short-term course in the area of engineering, surveying and construction – KU

• Introduction to Solar Technology –South Thames College Group

• Introduction to Electrification of CarsSouth Thames College Group

• Introduction to InstallationSouth Thames College Group

• Roofing and Voltaic PanelsSouth Thames College Group

• Introduction to RetrofitSouth Thames College Group

• Introduction to Waste ManagementSouth Thames College Group

• Introduction to Sustainable FashionSouth Thames College Group

• Green Launchpad/ MentoringStay Nimble - Kingston Council, South Thames College Group and Kingston University

• L1 Award Environmental Sustainability - 2 half-day course X 2: L2 Certificate Understanding Climate Change and Environmental Awareness - 15-week course: Kingston Adult Education

• Young People and Green Career Opportunities - Coombe School, Kingston Council and business partners

How will we grow our community?

There will be many areas of exciting work to be done in the coming year and the KGBC need contributors. It will need to utilising existing business networks, social media platforms, and personal contacts.

The KGBC will need to provide benefits and advantages that businesses will clearly find by joining community and, though this is in its early stages, the enthusiasm and interest across the Borough is heartening and encouraging.

Instrumental will be the role of ‘green champions’ with a focus on particular industries or locations (i.e. a highstreet, or an industrial park).