(Back L-R) Abigail McConville, Simplyfruit, Edward Kerr, Department for Economy, Eugene Heaney, Invest NI, Ben Craig, Carbonfit, Cllr Trevor Wilson, Vice Chair of Mid South West Region’s Governance Steering Group. (Front L-R) John Kennedy, Creagh Concrete, Mid Ulster District Council Chair Cllr Eugene McConnell and event host Louise Cullen (BBC).
Local business owners learned that their journey to net zero had begun after answering just four simple questions at an event hosted by Mid South West Region.
This straightforward step is all it takes to start analysing your carbon footprint, explore ways to make your small or medium-sized business more sustainable, and unlock energy efficiencies that can significantly reduce costs through the MSW Net Zero Transformation Programme.
The Carbonfit team showcased this easy process during the SME Breakfast Briefing at the Glenavon House Hotel on Thursday.
There was also the opportunity to hear real success stories from participating businesses including Simplyfruit, which is based in Craigavon. Talking to the event host BBC’s Environment Correspondent Louise Cullen, Simplyfruit Executive Director Abigail McConville explained that they were surprised to learn that their carbon footprint was smaller than they had expected and that there were a number of action they could implement things they could do to improve on that even more.
Event host Louise Cullen (BBC) speaking to Abigail McConville, Executive Director of Simplyfruit at the MSW SME Big Breakfast Briefing.
Simplyfruit has now set ambitious net zero targets aligned with the MSW Net Zero Transformation Programme’s overarching goals including reducing their refrigerant-related emissions by 50% by 2030, with complete elimination by 2035.
Abigail McConville, Executive Director at Simplyfruit, said:
“Simplyfruit would encourage other businesses to get involved in this programme. When we discovered what it could do for our business – it was a game-changer.”
The event also heard from the Department for the Economy’s Edward Kerr who discussed how green innovation is a priority for Northern Ireland’s economic vision and a driving force behind many Mid South West Region Growth Deal projects. Invest Northern Ireland’s Eugene Heaney gave an update on the Industrial Decarbonisation for Northern Ireland (IDNI) Programme . John Kennedy, Group Sustainability Manager at Creagh Concrete also discussed how local firms can harness sustainability to be the supplier of choice for 2025.
Funded places are still available for the Mid South West Net Zero Transformation Programme, open to SMEs in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, Agri-food, Construction, and Tourism & Hospitality sectors. The deadline for businesses to register is Friday 4th April.
Mid Ulster Councillor Trevor Wilson and MSW Governing Steering Group Vice Chair said:
“This event was incredibly useful for any business owner contemplating how to begin the process of sustainability.
“We all have a responsibility to help meet Northern Ireland’s net zero target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% by 2050, but these sessions showed there are real economic and competitive advantages to being an environmentally responsible firm.
“I would encourage anyone in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Fermanagh and Omagh or Mid Ulster to avail of this free support while you can by going to https://midsouthwestregion.org/net-zero-transformation.”
