Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - January / February 2021

151 ABOUT FSB As the UK’s business support group, FSB is the voice of the UK’s small businesses and the self-employed. Established over 40 years ago to help its members succeed in business, FSB is a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that’s led by its members, for its members. As the UK’s leading business campaigner, FSB is focused on delivering change which supports smaller businesses to grow and succeed. FSB offers members a wide range of vital business services, including access to finance, business banking, legal advice and support along with a powerful voice in Government. Each year FSB also runs the UK’s Celebrating Small Business Awards. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk. Yo u can follow us on twitter @fsb_policy and on Instagram @fsb_uk. adapt and thrive in a low-carbon economy. Strategic incentives will be crucial, giving businesses the right motivational tools allowing them to make necessary, long term changes and plan budgets appropriately. The key points, built around the UK’s strengths, include accelerating the transition to electric vehicles by creating grants to install more charging points. Electric vehicle technology is developing at a rapid pace so we were pleased to see this commitment, but there will need to be clarity as to how the grants will be allocated. While the Government’s ten-point plan is overwhelmingly good, gaps remain. There’s no solution for supporting the affordable development and roll out of more environmentally friendly HGVs. We would also continue to urge the Government to explore the benefits of a targeted scrappage scheme for petrol cars to level the playing field. HOW CAN I MAKE MY BUSINESS MORE SUSTAINABLE? Smaller businesses will need targeted Government support to ensure they can reduce their carbon footprint. Many businesses are already switching to renewable energy suppliers, reducing plastic usage and waste in offices, turning lights off, planting trees and educating employees through carbon literacy training. As the UK gets back on its feet after a year to forget, we will need businesses of all sizes to drive forward the green agenda in a way that works for our economy, to show what they can do to support UK sustainability, and continue to deliver UK prosperity as we head towards Net Zero. FSB BUSINESS FEATURE