Eco-FORCE | Finance, Opportunities, Responsibility and the Circular Economy

Date: 25th May 2023
Location: Trafford Park
Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Theme: Innovation

Are you looking to improve the environmental impact of your products, create a more profitable business model or increase your competitive advantage?

Welcome to Eco-FORCE, a 3 day in-person programme that will guide you step-by-step towards new ‘eco’ commercial opportunities, equipping your SME with the tools to eliminate waste and grow.

Started in March 2023, these cohort sessions are fully funded (meaning there’s no fee to pay), and are fine-tuned to the challenges faced by businesses in Greater Manchester. All we require is your commitment to attending all three half-day sessions in the programme.

You’ll be in a small cohort of no more than 10 business leaders and there’ll be opportunities to network with peers in the margins around the sessions. Each module is delivered by an experienced eco-innovation specialist from GC Business Growth Hub.

Whether you’re already producing eco goods and services, or are looking to move towards this, we’ll put you in the best position to increase your business opportunities, productivity and profitability.

Make sure you don’t get left behind by your competitors – register your interest here or email us at [email protected] with any questions.

MAY 25TH: Session 1, Waste

Modules covered:

• Reducing waste
• Eco design
• Reducing carbon emissions
• Greenwashing

JUNE 8TH: Session 2, Becoming a more responsible business  

Modules covered:

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• Green finance
• Eco legislation and regulation
• From concept to commercialisation

JUNE 16TH  Session 3, Circular economy

Modules covered:

• Drive towards the circular economy
• Supply chain and procurement

Take control of your future

We’re pretty sure your business is amazing. Chances are, you’ve been forced to overcome all number of obstacles over recent times, including ones that none of us saw coming, and you’re still here. One of the 100,000-plus SMEs that help make Greater Manchester what it is.

What the last few years have really underlined is that the world is changing at a pace not seen before – “unprecedented times” was the overused, but accurate, phrase at the height of Covid. And what’s equally clear is that those businesses who can best respond are the ones most likely to thrive.

With further change coming fast, as net zero deadlines approach and the drive towards the circular economy intensifies, there’s never been a better time to stop and think how your business is going to adapt.

Will you be able to reach new and expanding ‘eco’ markets? What’s the best way to attract new investment? How do you make sure you’re on top of new regulations?

The Eco-FORCE programme has been developed in response to these challenges. It helps SMEs move away from the traditional take-make-waste approach and improve the environmental impact of their products and services, leading to more profitable business models and increasing competitive advantage.

What you’ll get out of it

By the end of the Eco-FORCE programme, you’ll have the tools you need to enhance the environmental performance and competitiveness of your goods or services, and capitalise on growth opportunities.

You’ll be able to:

• Understand the environmental and social impacts of products and how to communicate these to your customers to build trust
• Identify opportunities for product and service innovation to become a more sustainable business
• Maximise the value of resources to reduce carbon emissions and waste
• See key eco-themes in supply chain and procurement to boost your competitive advantage
• Access the right organisations, funding, people, and research partners to make your eco-innovation happen
• Recognise how circular economy principles can drive profitable business models and increase revenue opportunities
• Further develop your commercialisation and market entry strategy

A winning approach

Whatever their size, businesses that embrace innovation are more likely to experience improved turnover, productivity and competitiveness than those that don’t.

And we’re proud that our innovation service has provided support to more than 3,000 SMEs across Greater Manchester, helping them to turn business ideas and opportunities into sales.

Within this service, our specialist eco-innovation team exists to enhance the environmental performance and competitiveness of your products and services.

Our experienced eco-innovation advisors offer support that is tailored to your business, removing whatever barriers you’re facing… whether that’s a lack of finance, human resource, specialist know-how, time, technology, strategy or appropriate facilities.

Here are just a couple of the Greater Manchester SMEs we’ve worked with recently:

“We received a great deal of support from our dedicated advisor. This included a full business review and considered aspects such as business planning, intellectual property, environmental impact and areas of business strength and development.” – Rebecca Murphy-Peers, Owner, UBU Environmental Ltd (see how this Salford SME benefitted from eco-innovation support)

“It was great to be able to partner with organisations that already have such great track records of working with industry – not just from the practical side, but also because it adds to the credibility of the product.” – Lisa Furlong, Director, Green Mole (find out the energy efficiency specialists were able to access the expertise they needed to innovate and grow)

Eligibility criteria

• This programme is open to business-to-business SMEs based in Greater Manchester (SME = fewer than 250 employees / annual turnover less than 50 million euros, balance sheet less than 43 million euros