Going green is "too expensive" for SMEs
A recent study has found that more small to medium-sized enterprises are cynical towards the business benefits of going green due to the high costs involved in being more environmentally friendly.
The Tenon Forum has said that SMEs have spent £3.1 billion during the past year on environmental initiatives. Their findings showed that 42 per cent have failed to implement any environmental measures to date whilst 19 per cent have no plans to do so in the future.
Over a quarter of firms in the study believed the costs of adopting environmentally friendly behaviour outweigh the benefits for business.
Andrew Jupp, Tenon's national head of tax, said: "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."
Environmental guidance website NetRegs claims that SMEs got fines totalling £2.4 million for pollution and environmental damage in 2007, with the average fine topping £14,500.
They found that just 24 per cent of SMEs were able to name a piece of environmental legislation which they face legal obligations to adhere to.
Article Date: 08 April 2008
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