Business in the Community Ireland concludes pioneering SME Decarbonisation Pilot with graduation ceremony

Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) today celebrated the successful completion of a first-of-its-kind collaborative supply chain decarbonisation pilot for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The closing ceremony, hosted at the historic House of Lords building by Bank of Ireland, brought together 22 businesses from across Ireland. During the event, participants were awarded carbon literacy certificates in recognition of their involvement in the programme. 

The pilot initiative was a significant step in fostering climate action within the SME sector. Developed in collaboration with BITCI member companies – Bank of Ireland Group, Musgrave Group, and SSE Airtricity, the programme engaged a selection of their supply chain SMEs, encouraging a deeper understanding of climate change, carbon reporting, and supply chain decarbonisation. 

Expanding Climate Literacy and Action for SMEs 

The goal of the programme was not only to increase awareness among participating SMEs but also to encourage the three corporate partners to explore how large companies can collaborate to support the decarbonisation of their supply chains across the island of Ireland. This initiative was delivered in partnership with Business in the Community Northern Ireland, whose similar programmes have reached over 200 SMEs. 

Feena Kirrkamm, BITCI Sustainability Adviser said “We are delighted to have partnered with Business in the Community Northern Ireland. This collaboration offered us a unique opportunity to better understand the support systems available to drive climate action in both regions. This programme has clearly highlighted the impact climate change is having on SMEs and that increasing our collective understanding and collaboration is the key to ensuring businesses can adapt, respond and thrive.” 

The SMEs involved in the programme benefited from an in-depth series of training sessions, beginning with in-person accredited carbon literacy training and followed by online workshops. Key areas of focus included: 

• Understanding the role of business in addressing the climate crisis. 

• Measuring carbon footprints and complying with reporting requirements for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. 

• Developing bespoke climate action plans for each business. 

The training included accessing and interacting with a host of supports already available for SMEs in Ireland such as the Climate Toolkit 4 Business and the SME Climate Hub.   

Ms Kirrkamm added “During the pilot programme, SMEs shared firsthand experiences of how climate change is already affecting their businesses, with those in the food sector facing tough growing conditions. One SME explained how changing weather patterns have deteriorated soil quality, leading to higher production costs and the potential need to change suppliers. Becoming upskilled on carbon literacy and future-proofing their activities through developing a carbon action plan, empowers them to make informed decisions about their supply chain and become more sustainable.”  

Several businesses have already begun their carbon quantification and climate action planning as a direct result of the programme. 

Minister Dara Calleary Congratulates Participants 

In a pre-recorded message, Minister Dara Calleary recognised the benefit of the pilot programme, and the efforts to facilitate collaboration between companies and their suppliers in a joined-up approach to decarbonise while supporting business development.  

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary said “I congratulate all those involved in this innovative initiative and their desire to work together to develop sustainable supply chains. Ireland’s climate targets are ambitious yet every company large and small must play their part so finding solutions that mutually benefit each other is the ideal. Decarbonisation activities take time and money but knowing you can access supports and continue to be the supplier of choice makes the investment worthwhile. I look forward to seeing how the findings of this pilot can be expanded upon.” 

The programme will culminate with the release of an evaluation report on October 17th, which will provide key insights and learnings for the wider BITCI network on engaging with supply chain partners. The report will explore how this pilot model can be scaled to involve more SMEs in tackling climate action across Ireland.  

Business in the Community Ireland – Leaders in Sustainability and Social Inclusion. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge and facilitate businesses to bring about a sustainable, low carbon economy and an inclusive society where everyone thrives. We leverage our extensive network and depth of knowledge to guide businesses to embed all aspects of sustainability into their operations. Our programmes and partnerships are designed to bring about measurable improvements in environmental sustainability and social equity.