Press Release
Going green is causing entrepreneurs to see red
Going green has cost entrepreneurs £3.1billion over the past year.
According to entrepreneur think tank, the Tenon Forum, such costs are dampening businesses’ appetite for going green with nearly half (42 per cent) of UK SMEs surveyed failing to implement any environmental measures to date and a fifth (19 per cent) having no plans to do so in the future.
It appears that recycling and improving energy-efficiency are not worthwhile for UK SMEs – over a quarter (27 per cent) believe the cost of adopting environmentally friendly measures outweighs the benefits for the business.
And following last month’s so-called ‘green Budget’, the Tenon Forum research suggests cynicism is rife amongst SMEs. More than half (60 per cent) of owner-managers believe efforts to drive green business behaviour are motivated by the desire to win votes, rather than out of genuine concern for the environment.
However, almost half (45 per cent ) of owner-managers agree that the UK tax regime should be used to encourage green practices among businesses but 44 per cent agree this revenue should be ring-fenced to fund environmental initiatives.
At the same time, many think green initiatives enhance their reputation – a fifth (21 per cent) of owner-managers agree that adopting environmental measures gives a business a competitive edge, compared to those who don’t have any green credentials.
Andrew Jupp, Tenon’s National Head of Tax, commented: "It’s clear that UK entrepreneurs feel strongly about green issues and rightly so. Many small businesses are keen to exercise their green credentials and to reduce their carbon footprint but this Government is simply making it too difficult and too expensive for them.
Thousands of pounds worth of green taxes are stretching SMEs to their limit and with the Government advocating green business practice so vehemently, it’s crucial they find ways of making this easier and suggest viable ways to do so. While most support implementing policies that reduce their environmental impact, they also cannot do so alone. Entrepreneurs need the Government to motivate and reward best environmental practices so that green behaviour also makes a genuine difference to their bottom line."
Ends.
For more information or to arrange an interview with a Tenon Forum spokesperson or case study, please contact:
Heather Wilson 020 7419 7322, heather@bbpr.com
Sarah Weston 020 7419 7323, sarah.weston@bbpr.com
Notes to editors
About Tenon
Tenon is a leading provider of accounting and business advice to entrepreneurs, providing clients with expertise in Business Services, Tax, Financial Services, Corporate Finance, Recovery, Outsourcing and Forensic Accountancy. Tenon is the 9th largest UK accountancy firm with over 1900 staff UK wide with a turnover of £137.1m. Operating through a network of 44 offices, Tenon is able to offer local expertise but with the backing of a national plc.
Tenon is a sponsor of the National Business Awards and the award category is the 'Tenon Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit'. To learn more, please visit www.tenongroup.com/nba
About the Tenon Forum
A regular survey of SMEs is carried out every six months for the Tenon Forum. These findings, combined with the analysis by an independent think tank of entrepreneurs, form the Tenon Forum report. The Tenon Forum is an independent think tank made up of leading entrepreneurs from the UK’s small and medium sized business community. The Tenon Forum Think Tank meets to analyse issues arising from this research.
About the research
YouGov interviewed 976 private sector senior managers and above from small and medium businesses -firms with between 5 and 499 employees. Research was carried out online between 2nd and 14th October 2007. The survey covers all business sectors across the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. Results have not been weighted. YouGov is a member of the British Polling Council.
