COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

MOTION NO. 13

MOTION: Councillor M. Johansson

That this Council, in order to increase awareness and accountability in relation to environmental pollution and climate change, introduces an environmental rating for local businesses similar to that of Food Safety based on their practises. The details of the scheme to be discussed at the Environment SPC and a report be produced for full council.

REPORT:

The council recognises the importance of engaging business, particularly SMEs and local business, in efforts to tackle environmental issues. With the introduction of the Circular Economy package at EU level, it is clear that co-operation between business and policy makers is vital if we are to achieve the targets and measures set down under this legislation.

Currently, there are several programmes and organisations offering guidance and assistance on good environmental practice to businesses. These include the EcoMerit programme, which is a 3-year environmental accreditation programme for SMEs partially sub-vented by the local authorities (including SDCC) through the Eastern-Midlands Regional Office and the ISO 14000 series on Environmental Management. Information on the Ecocert Programme can be found at www.ecocert.ie. Companies are assessed for their Carbon footprint and waste management among other things. There are currently five companies in South Dublin who have been certified by EcoCert

Other assistance in this area includes environmental training and advice provided by the IBEC Environmental Unit, CSR training and guidance from Business in the Community (www.bitc.ie), which focuses on measuring and reporting business operations as a triple bottom line. Organisations such as WEEE Ireland, BIM or Repak offer sector-specific sustainability advice, while Enterprise Ireland and the IDA include sustainability guidance and funding as part of their ‘Lean, green’ supports as does the Department of Education and Training within their Skillsnet training for businesses.

For many years, the EPA ran a Green Business programme in conjunction with IBEC, offering free environmental audits and advice to businesses. This programme utilised consultants and catered for business in general as well as a couple of specific sectors (Green Healthcare and Green Hospitality). A part of this programme remains as the Green Business TREE, an online tool that to measure sustainability and help companies to identify areas in which they can improve (https://greenbusiness.ie/sme-efficiency-and-cost-reduction-questionnaire/ ).

The sustainable business programme run in conjunction with South Dublin Chamber since 2011 has been based on the “triple bottom line” i.e. : “The triple bottom line (TBL) thus consists of three Ps: profit, people and planet. It aims to measure the financial, social and environmental performance of the corporation over a period of time. Only a company that produces a TBL is taking account of the full cost involved in doing business.” (The Economist). 

In this regard the Chamber are partnering with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to facilitate a focus group for SME’s, SEAI are developing a new programme of supports for SME’s, one of these supports is a proposed online training programme. The aim of this training is that it will help businesses to become more energy efficient and thereby save them money. Businesses do not need any energy awareness or interest in sustainability to participate in this focus group.

Date:      Tuesday 28th May

Time:      10.00am -11.00am

Venue:   South Dublin Chamber Office, Tallaght Business Centre, Whitestown Business Park, Dublin 24 D24 K59A

An environmental rating for local businesses might be helpful in raising awareness, however the operation of such a rating raises some questions such as who will rate and monitor the businesses and how to get businesses interested enough to sign up to such a rating in the first instance. The incoming Environment, Public Realm and Climate Change SPC when formed may wish to put this matter on the agenda.