NN2NZ Boost for Business (NN2NZ B4B) programme launches to empower local SMEs towards a sustainable future

Supporting your business

05 March 2024

Laptop open with wallet and coffee next to it

Electric Places (a trading name of Electric Corby), a leading community interest company (CIC) dedicated to guiding organisations, places, and people to net zero, is excited to announce the launch of the NN2NZ Boost for Business (NN2NZ B4B) programme working with North Northamptonshire Council. This innovative initiative, aimed at North Northamptonshire (NN) SMEs, is set to help businesses develop tailored carbon reduction strategies and foster a green, thriving local economy.

The NN2NZ Boost for Business programme, led by Electric Places and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is designed to assist NN businesses to recognise the benefits of carbon reduction. By formulating comprehensive carbon action plans and assisting with access to grant funds, the programme aims to accelerate North Northamptonshire’s transition to a low-carbon future.

Key Programme Highlights:

The programme will host a series of strategic workshops covering crucial topics such as the financial benefits of decarbonisation, accessing capital grants, and skills development. These sessions will help empower businesses to make informed decisions and embrace sustainable practices.

Businesses will have the opportunity to access data gathering toolkits for free, empowering them to collect crucial data to construct compelling low carbon business cases. This includes tools to assess building fabric efficiency, equipment energy use, and electric vehicle (EV) transition opportunities.

The programme will provide expert guidance to businesses, helping them access, analyse, and interpret the collected data, develop business cases for low carbon investment and receiving assistance with funding applications for available R&D capital grants. More detail of these grants, managed by the Council and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will be released in the coming months.

The programme aims to engage diverse businesses across all sectors in both urban and rural areas of NN. The overarching goal is to engage 300 SME businesses across various sectors, with a focus on ensuring that at least 10% of these businesses benefit from free data gathering toolkits and expert guidance.

A full public launch is expected in April this year, followed by a series of workshops starting in June and running through to December.

This programme aims to foster a greener, thriving local economy in North Northamptonshire as the UK pushes toward a more climate positive future. By providing workshops, toolkits, and expert guidance, we aim to support our SME business community to drive impactful carbon reduction actions, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for North Northamptonshire.Nick Bolton, Co-founder of Electric Places
Since the allocation of Shared Prosperity Fund for North Northants was confirmed, we have been working hard, alongside partners, to ensure it helps as many residents and businesses as possible through a variety of techniques and schemes.

I hope this programme will make such a difference, offering a more personal touch and help to businesses who want to be more green but might not be sure on how to do it.
Cllr David Brackenbury, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration

Contact Information:

For more information about the NN2NZ Boost for Business (NN2NZ B4B) programme, please contact Tim O’Callaghan, Project Consultant on [email protected] or 01536 560222

This project is funded by the UK government through the Shared Prosperity Fund.