Business, Economics and Livelihoods. 

This handout has been created based on an existing business update presentation so please excuse the bullet-point format. Further detail about all of these projects is available at totnes.transitionnetwork.org/economicsandlivelihoods/home.
Why engage business with Transition?

• Fundamental part of our local community.
• Provide jobs, goods and services.
• They spend a lot of money (ideally locally).
• Don’t vilify business – we are all part of the problem, we all consume, we all need to work.
• Increasing uncertainty for businesses, including economic downturn, escalating oil price, potential legislative and financial pressure for carbon reduction and rationing and unknown impacts of climate change.
• What can be done locally to help insulate our business community from the coming shocks?
• How do we help businesses to be not only profitable but also sustainable and resilient? What’s the difference?
Approach used by TTT

1. Know the Totnes business landscape: mostly micro/small businesses with 67% having 5 employees or less in retail, real estate & offices, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality.
2. Initiate number of small pilot projects that benefit businesses by reducing costs.
3. Aim to build relationship and increase levels of trust (permission) over time.
4. Create PR opportunities and use case studies to build interest and motivate others.
5. Be representative of local sectors.
6. Use partners for delivery – do not duplicate what’s out there already.
7. Be professional. 
Outcomes so far

1. Energy efficiency lighting campaign
• 25 businesses participated so far
• Focus on retail
• Potential average savings of £1,000 pa each
• Payback on bulbs 6-9 months
• At least half said they would act – needs follow up
2. Switch to green tariff
• 25 businesses participated (mostly same ones)
• About half could save money by switching to some renewable energy
• Savings range from 5-30%
• Many are locked into contracts
• Tariffs change constantly
• Green Energy UK offer special deal for Transition businesses
• Needs follow up
3. Business swapshop event
• 10 businesses attended
• Potential  matches on 38 of 55 items
• Mostly cardboard and packaging
• Need to be very specific about the item
• All appreciated the business networking
• Needs lots of follow-up
4. Resource efficiency audits
• Free audits for 10 businesses in April-May 08
• Energy, water, resource efficiency, waste minimisation
• Pilot for Envirowise as a delivery option
• Action report and reference info provided
5. Oil vulnerability audits
• Identify where oil is used for transport, energy or in products
• Then model impacts of oil price changes
• Pilot projects complete for 4 businesses
• Colourworks Print & Design
• Rumour Restaurant
• Totnes Kayaks
• Pedricks Distribution
Lessons learned

• It’s still a ‘push not pull’ sales effort to get businesses to sign  up to these campaigns and projects
• Barriers are mainly time and money.
• Not sustainable (or appropriate?) to deliver business projects on a volunteer basis – how can we fund this work?
• Lack of a strong business community group to facilitate our delivery.
Next steps

• We need a Business Resilience Group that creates its own vision and pathways – this will create the ‘pull’