SMALL and medium-sized businesses contracted by Peterborough City Council can get help to reduce the impact they have on the environment thanks to a new partnership with Resource Efficiency East.

The Supply Chain Network programme supports larger organisations to mentor and work with small businesses to improve their resource efficiency, and Peterborough City Council is one of four organisations in the eastern region that have been selected to take part.

The programme will seek to work with businesses in Peterborough that are defined as a small or medium enterprise. This relates to businesses that have less than 250 staff, have a turnover of less than £42 million and are at least 75 per cent independently owned. The city council will also assess its own internal procedures to ensure the businesses it works with are committed to reducing their impact on the environment.

Councillor Samantha Dalton, cabinet member for environment capital, said: “As a council we have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 35 per cent of the 2008/09 levels by 2014 which equates to a reduction of 12,000 tonnes.

Businesses that are not part of Peterborough City Council’s supply chain might still be eligible for support through Resource Efficiency East.

For more information, contact Resource Efficiency East at info@resourceefficiencyeast.org.uk