Liverpool BID on path to Net Carbon Zero New project will help businesses take steps to greener future

Liverpool BID Company is on the path to reach Net Carbon Zero as it announces a new project to support businesses in the city to support them to do the same.

Businesses in Liverpool are to be asked what they need to help them reach Net Carbon Zero to identify where targeted support and investment may be needed. The project, delivered by Liverpool BID Company in partnership with Arete Zero Carbon, will help the city assess how close it is to reaching the target of Net Carbon Zero by 2030.

Liverpool BID Company itself is on the pathway to reaching Net Carbon Zero by 2030. This year the organisation is assessing any procurement, including the lifecycle of goods and reducing waste. It is examining ways it can support its staff travel to be more sustainable and working towards 2025 as a target for exploring the use of alternative fuels within energy and utilities. By 2030, any remaining carbon emissions will be offset through a verified and local carbon project.

Liverpool has ambitious plans to reach Net Carbon Zero in under two decades. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced that Liverpool City Region has a goal to become Net-Zero Carbon by 2040 or sooner. The City of Liverpool, through the 2030 Net Zero Liverpool Action Plan, sets out the actions that the city needs to take to become net zero by 2030. Businesses across the city and beyond should also be considering how they can become net zero.

The first step of the project will see businesses surveyed across the city centre - in a variety of sectors including accommodation, hospitality, retail and leisure, culture, professional services and public sector - to gain an understanding of the awareness to net-zero, including the city’s plan to become net-zero by 2040 or sooner.

The data will then be reviewed to define the parameters of targeted support to help businesses reach their goals. Liverpool BID Company will then seek pilot funding to support a significant number of businesses in Liverpool. The surveys being today (4th July) and will be completed by September.

Liverpool BID Company CEO, Bill Addy, says there needs to be a joined up approach for businesses across Liverpool if the target is to be reached.

“At Liverpool BID we took the initiative to work to become a Net Carbon business, as we believe that we have to show the way if we are to support businesses in the city to take the same path. Working with Arete Zero Carbon we have successfully calculated our supply chain carbon impact and have developed a pathway to net zero. For many businesses it can feel like yet another thing on their to-do list, despite how vital and critical they know it to be. Therefore our goal is to first map knowledge and understanding, so that the support we offer is targeted directly to the needs of business across a range of sectors. We want to be able to ensure that businesses outside of the city centre, and right across the city region, are able to access the same support that will be offered. The target is ambitious but it needs a strategic assessment and businesses will need help if they are to meet it”.

Liverpool BID Company is a private, notfor-profit organisation, representing the interests of 860+ levy paying businesses in Liverpool city centre, across three BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) - Retail & Leisure BID, Culture & Commerce BID and Accommodation BID.

The aim of Liverpool BID Company is to:

● Bring added value to levy payers and build on the core services already provided by Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police

● Ensure both BID areas are clean and secure for businesses and visitors, and have the right environment for the private sector to succeed - whether a retailer, restaurant owner, or legal and financial service

● Work with the city and charities to tackle street dwellers

● Drive footfall and develop activity where needed

● Champion the voice of the levy payers it represents, pushing forward their agendas and making things happen

The Liverpool BID areas cover some of the most iconic locations in Liverpool city centre:

● The eclectic and diverse independents of Bold Street

● The thriving restaurant and hotel scene of Castle Street

● Liverpool’s ever-evolving high streetfrom the iconic brands on Church Street and Williamson Square, to the high-end boutiques of Metquarter

● The professional and financial services around Old Hall Street

● Mathew Street and Cavern Quarter - the birthplace of The Beatles, a focal point in the city’s music heritage, and a colourful nightlife scene

● The famous Waterfront and Royal Albert Dock, Three Graces and Pier Head

● St George’s Quarter and St John’s Gardens and William Brown Street

● Hope Street and the entrance to the Georgian Quarter

For more information about Liverpool BID Company, please visit: