Businesses

We conduct the principal measure of environmental engagement in Northern Ireland and have done so for the past eleven years. The Survey aims to ensure environmental issues are on the Board agenda of the largest organisations in Northern Ireland and measures the extent to which these organisations are managing environmental issues. 

People everywhere depend upon biodiversity for their livelihoods, their quality of life, and to provide basic ecological services on which all life depends.  The loss of biodiversity represents a business risk.  As diversity disappears so the opportunities for new products, new technologies and new business opportunities.

There are many ways in which a company can engage biodiversity issues and make a contribution ranging from raising employee awareness of biodiversity issues and managing environmental impacts responsibly, to enhancing the conservation value of habitats on your landholdings and sponsoring green spaces. Doing something for biodiversity will not necessarily require a great deal of resources – in fact this new programme is designed specifically with businesses in mind providing a practical action plan and management options using the resources available.  Alternatively, ARENA Network can help your business out by carrying out a biodiversity audit for your business. For more information contact Rosie on rosie.barnett@bitcni.org.uk

Find out more about Biodiversity

UK businesses could save £6.4billion per year and could help create and protect jobs by improving the way they use their resources. With this in mind, ARENA Network, the environmental arm of Business in the Community are offering 40 SME’s throughout Northern Ireland the opportunity to look at their resources and explore how they can become more sustainable.

Good environmental management makes sound business sense.  ARENA Network will work with you and your suppliers to identify and address environmental impacts.  Our staff can work with you to achieve a UKAS recognised EMS accreditation.  ARENA Network will help you implement BS8555 and Green Dragon. 

As part of the Better Regulation programme, ARENA Network ran a series of seminars in conjunction with NIEA beginning in June 2009. The seminars have covered a range of regulation specific and sector specific issues. The purpose of the Better Regulation seminars is to raise awareness of environmental regulations and benefits of compliance and good practice and to provide tailored advice and support industry.

The Corporate Environmental Reporting Template (CERT) provides a simple and straightforward way for your organisation to communicate with customers, employees, public bodies and other interested groups on environmental and climate changes issues. Find out more about CERT

Increasingly high energy costs are having a significant impact on the bottom line for many companies. In addition, the linkage between carbon emissions and climate change indicates that reducing energy consumption is essential for saving the environment. Through this programme we have developed two useful tools to help businesses identify the amount of carbon they use and provide practical advice on how to reduce consumption and save money!  Find out how to calculate your business's Carbon Footprint using the Footprinter NI and get advice on how to reduce costs.

ARENA Network was the lead partner in delivering the British Council’s Challenge Europe all Ireland programme.

Challenge Europe was a three year campaign which began in 2008.

The programme aspired to have a definite and lasting impact on the climate change debate and in addition, it aimed to accelerate change to a low carbon future.

Find out more at Challenge Europe

The ARENA Network can carry out an environmental audit of your business free of charge, if you are a BITC member company. This service identifies any relevant issues you may have and provides a baseline for your performance.  Findings from the review is fed back to the company in the form of an environmental review report along with suggestions based on best practice for the business to implement and improve their environmental performance.

For more information contact Keelin Hamill, keelin.hamill@bitcni.org.uk or telephone (028) 9046 0606.

ARENA Network launched the Prince’s Mayday Network in Northern Ireland at the Sir Stuart Rose event as part of Northern Irelands first ever CSR Week 2009.

Mayday is the largest network of businesses in the UK committed to tackling climate change with over 3000 member companies.

By joining this collaborative movement your business is enabled with access to the tools, information and support your business needs to take action on climate change including the opportunity to track your progress, share experiences, be kept up to date with the latest news and legislation on climate change and receive invitations to Mayday events throughout the year. Joining is free and can improve staff morale and save you money and generate new business.

MayDay flyer...now is the time (1911 kb)

• Environmental management
• Greening the supply chain
• Reducing waste
  
• Training and events