Campaigning to reduce litter and improve water quality in Dorset

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Sustainable Business Network

Transforming the plastic footprint of Dorset based businesses.

What’s it all about?

We’re so lucky here in Dorset, and it’s almost perfect… but like many other places water pollution and littering, in particular plastics, is a problem! That’s why we are inviting Dorset based businesses to consider ways to become more sustainable and further limit their impact on the environment especially rivers, lakes, seas, quays, harbours and beaches. To help develop, to support and to recognise actions taken by local business, we are creating a new Sustainable Business Network funded by the EU INTERREG Preventing Plastic Pollution project! 

It’s easy to join the ‘Sustainable Business Network’, all you need to do is fill in a simple form which will take less than a minute.

The Sustainable Business Network is a fantastic opportunity to join a network of likeminded business owners working towards a more sustainable future.

Join the
Sustainable Business Network

Industry speakers

Bespoke advice

Network events

By signing up to the network, you will take the first step towards:

  • Growing your business network
  • Achieving a ‘Sustainable Business Award’
  • Meeting likeminded business owners
  • Becoming a more sustainable business
New single-use plastic legislation

On 1 October 2023 new legislation came into effect which means there are now additional bans and restrictions on single-use plastic items. This includes:

  • A ban on the use of polystyrene food/drink packaging in all cases – sale / supply / food service / consumer – including polystyrene cups.
  • A ban on plastic cutlery and balloon sticks – including bioplastics e.g. biodegradable / compostable / PLA / CPLA. No exemptions.
  • A restriction on the sale of plastic plates, bowls and trays– the ban only applies to the sale of these items to the public – e.g. packs of plastic plates sold at supermarkets. They can still be supplied from business to business, e.g. from a wholesaler to a café, and they can still be used for packaging in food/hospitality businesses, both pre-packed and at point of sale.

Click here to find out more about the new single-use plastic ban

Recent Events

Through the network, local businesses will be invited to events hosted by environmental experts and will meet other businesses taking similar steps to becoming more sustainable. Businesses who sign up to the network will be supported by Litter Free Dorset and together businesses can work to achieve a ‘Sustainable Business Award’ to proudly show the local community they are making a difference.

Our most recent Sustainable Business Network event was focused on food & drink packaging. We invited all food & drink businesses in Dorset to join us on Wednesday 1st November in the Watch House Café in West Bay to Talk About Packaging!

Our guest speakers; Baboo Gelato, Hive Beach Co. and Dorset Council Recycling team were on the panel to discuss their thoughts and ideas on how to be more sustainable in their businesses. We also had lots of in depth discussion through networking and workshops which allowed businesses to share their ideas on ways to reduce food and drink packaging. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this fantastic evening!

Next event

Coming soon!

We were delighted to work with LUSH to host a Sustainable Business Network evening at the LUSH Green Hub in Poole in July 2023. The Sustainable Business Network evening focused on all things retail. Thanks to our brilliant speakers Amber Harrison from FOLDE Dorset, Charlotte Loving from Loving by Nature and Eloise Flinter from LUSH Green Hub for inspiring us and thanks to LUSH for having us.

On Monday 23rd January 2023 we hosted the Sustainable Business Network launch at Dorset Museum in Dorchester. At the event, we aimed to inspire and show local businesses what the possibilities are in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic. The launch event sold out and we had exhibition stalls and a panel session from industry experts LUSH, Naked by the River, Dorset Council Waste Services, City to Sea as well as a brilliant presentation from Brothers Make.

Case Studies

Advantage Digital Print (ADP) is a printing company based in Dorchester and a Litter Free Dorset Sustainable Business Ambassador! By making changes like investing in a paper banding machine and working with innovative products like Notpla seaweed paper, ADP have reduced their use of single-use plastic.

Norden Farm is a touring campsite and farm shop based just outside Corfe Castle and a Litter Free Dorset Sustainable Business Ambassador! By introducing a 24 hour plastic-free milk machine and offering their customers plastic-free shopping options, Norden Farm have greatly reduced their use of single-use plastic.

Lush launched it’s Green Hub in 2023, which is where they treat their waste material like the crown jewels, focusing on not only recycling but reusing, reducing and moving beyond sustainability and towards regeneration. They also have the Lush Shop and Spa in Poole where 66% of their products are completely packaging free.

Resources

In order to achieve the Sustainable Business Award at any level, everyone must start with the plastics category.

We have created a handy guide with some top tips to help everyone achieve a level one Sustainable Business Award.

The guide also includes information about the Refill campaign & simple steps of how to join!

We’ve created The Ultimate Guide to Packaging to help you make the best choice for your business AND the environment.

Download our free guide today!

Reducing plastic at work poster

Display this poster in your staffroom or office to encourage everyone to do their best to reduce single-use plastic! We’ve left room for everyone to add their own top tips!

How To Plan a Sustainable Event

Whether you are planning a large festival, a small community fete or a work conference we have the resources available to make sure your event is more sustainable. We have put together a guide with helpful tips to reduce waste during your event.

Download our free Sustainable Event Guide now!

Whether you work in a retail business, a food or drink business or an office – every business can do something to reduce single-use plastic.

Check out this video to see what simple swaps you could make at your business to reduce single-use plastic!

We’ve created some cool holiday artwork to display on your walls or welcome pack at your holiday accommodation to remind everyone staying with you that even when you’re away from home, you can still reduce single-use plastic.

Whether you have a holiday accommodation business or not, be sure to download our ‘Drinking Water’ poster to encourage everyone at your business to ditch single-use plastic bottles for good and top up with you instead!

Check out the holiday accommodation artwork below and download them for free today!

Single-use plastic audit

Single-use plastic policy

Download our single-use plastic audit template today! Complete the audit and create an action plan to make small but important changes in your business!

Proudly display to staff and customers that you’re trying your best to reduce single-use plastic in your business, create your own single-use plastic policy today!

Network Newsletter

Stay up to date with the Sustainable Business Network Newsletter!

A monthly newsletter to keep everyone updated with all the exciting things happening. Sustainable Business Network members get an exclusive first look at the newsletter, so why not sign up today!

Sustainable Business Awards

The Sustainable Business Award will be an annual award to celebrate local businesses who are tackling their environmental impact and making Dorset an even better place to live.

This project has been funded by Preventing Plastic Pollution which is a €14million funded EU INTERREG VA France (Channel) England Programme project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

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