smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

SME bosses looking to see their firm grow should become environmentally friendly, according to eco-experts.

Envirowise, a government-funded group promoting green practices in business, maintain that becoming more ecological can have a multitude of benefits for any budding firm.

Offering a few words of advice for small businesses, Simon Drury of Envirowise says: 'Businesses can start by looking at what resources they're currently utilising, either directly or indirectly, and look to manage those and become efficient in their use.'

He adds: 'It's very important for sole trader businesses and small businesses because a lot of them are fighting to survive.

'Being as efficient as possible is one way of achieving that and increasing the overall productivity of the business as a whole and thereby improving profits.'

According to an Envirowise report, 53 per cent of businesses are currently taking action to improve their resource efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of their products and processes.