Carbon reduction: Government 'needs different approach for SMEs'

The UK Government must take a different approach to helping SMEs reduce their carbon footprints, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned.

The BCC said that findings of its report into business and the environment highlighted "the continuing need for effective advice and assistance for SMEs".

The organisation said that although The Carbon Reduction Commitment and the European Emissions Trading Scheme provide good incentives for larger businesses, such schemes do not work for smaller firms.

The report suggests a number of ways that the Government might better encourage SMEs to adopt greener practices, including the recommendation for more transparent energy pricing and easier switching between providers.

It also urges the Carbon Trust to reach out to more SMEs, having found that only a quarter of businesses surveyed had used the Trust's services, and that a "significant number" of these were larger organisations.