A new partnership designed to empower Scottish companies and help them become climate change leaders has been launched by the University of Edinburgh and Royal Bank of Scotland.
The £1m programme, supported by the bank’s 300 Fund, will see experts from the University’s Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and Royal Bank’s business banking specialists work together to help firms identify the opportunities a net zero economy can create while helping them become more sustainable operations in the process.
Being funded by Royal Bank – a principal partner at this year’s COP26 – the partnership is focused on the Small to Medium Size Enterprise (SME) community and aims to assist more than 500 businesses.
Business opportunities
ECCI will work closely with the bank to develop the tools, advice and materials that will enable businesses to understand and take action to reduce their climate impact, to fully contribute to tackling climate change, and to identify and realise the business opportunities from being at the forefront of the net zero economy.
Content will include toolkits, online learning, mentoring and peer-to-peer work that will provide knowledge, training and advice to help SMEs to become key agents in driving a more sustainable and resilient economy.
ECCI is Scotland’s leading centre for research, teaching, policy and practice for climate action, utilising in-house expertise, data and partnerships to deliver real-world impact on climate change.
Net zero emissions
This programme will ensure small businesses make their vital contribution to Scotland’s national target for net zero emissions by 2045, and are ready to succeed in the future net zero economy.
Funding from Royal Bank is being delivered through its 300 Fund – a multi-million pound initiative created to support projects in Scotland making a positive difference in areas such as climate change, financial capability and enterprise.
It will see £1m a year invested in activities across Scotland until 2027, the year the bank celebrates its 300th anniversary.
