The first raft of city centre businesses have signed up for the government-backed Bradford Green Street initiative.
More than 40 Bradford retail and hospitality businesses have applied to be part of the Bradford Green Street pilot, with 25 already actively involved in the scheme, which involves undertaking a sustainability review and making commitments to be greener.
Early adopters include Bradford City Football Club, The Canteen, The Record Café, Rimmington’s Pharmacy, Huma Humad, and Mean Old Scene, but the full list of participants – who now display a Green Street logo – can be viewed here.
Those signed up to the Bradford Green Street manifesto, which was launched at the start of 2022, have agreed to, the following:
- Reduce energy consumption by using more energy efficient equipment, changing behaviours and monitoring energy usage
- Take steps to prevent, recycle and reuse as much waste as possible
- Reduce the amount of packaging used and passed on to customers
- Eliminate as much single use plastic as possible from their businesses
- Actively explore to provide more locally sourced and sustainable products and services for their customers
- Share learnings and collaborate closely with suppliers to provide a greener supply chain
- Inspire their customers and team to make sustainable changes and become more planet-friendly.
In return, the participating Bradford Green Street retailers will receive free support, guidance and marketing support, as well as access to digital tools to help them understand how to reach new customers who currently or want to live sustainable lifestyles.
There will also be opportunities to attend free workshops on topics run by some of the UK’s largest and most successful retailers, as well as a chance to regularly network with likeminded businesses.
Bradford businesswoman and Retail Sector Council (RSC) member, Victoria Robertshaw, is a key figure behind the launch of the scheme.
“By embracing Green Street’s philosophy and expertise these businesses are already identifying and adopting new ways of working that will make them more profitable over time by saving on overheads and attracting customers who are keen to become more sustainable,” she said of the early adopters.
“It could be small changes to start with, for example, changing to LED lightbulbs or having a free water refill station on the premises to discourage single use plastic bottles. Other more ambitious targets can be introduced gradually but everything we do points to becoming a smarter, greener business.”
Initial funding for the initiative been provided by the Department from the Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, with additional support coming from the RSC, Bradford Council, and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Bradford Green Street is a pilot programme, but the aim of the organisers is to roll out further schemes across the UK under the Green Street banner. Meanwhile, the Green Street website contains information for all businesses across the UK to access so they can start to become more sustainable organisations.
[Image credit: Karol Wyszynski for Bradford Green Street]
