29 May 2015
Nine out of ten small firms would like to become more energy efficient, according to a poll carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Some 78% of FSB members surveyed said that saving money on their energy bills was the primary motivation behind carrying out energy efficiency measures.
However, the research also found other factors are now influencing small firms’ attitudes to energy saving, with 70% of business owners citing the environmental benefits as an important motivator for becoming greener.
Meanwhile, a quarter of those polled said that becoming more energy efficient would help to promote their firm and attract customers.
The findings have prompted the FSB to call on energy companies to offer more support and investment to their small business customers.
FSB National Chairman, John Allan, said: ‘Small businesses are really enthusiastic about energy efficiency and this desire should be capitalised on for the good of their business and the environment.
‘However, what our research does tell us is a simple ‘one-size fits all' approach will not work as different businesses are driven by a diverse range of factors.’
He added: ‘The energy market will continue to fail small firms until it can help businesses reduce their energy consumption, as well as their underlying unit costs’.