Birmingham Friends of the Earth Action Briefing Feb/Mar 99

Finding Your Way In Business

The Midlands Environmental Business Club is a not for profit organisation run as a limited liability company with the remit to encourage businesses to adopt environmental best practice. It has been in existence since 1991 and is based at Aston Science Park.

In 1998 it went through a major restructuring aimed at engaging the membership more in the actual running of the Club's activities. As a result, the Board of Directors now concentrates on the running of the company and ensuring the highest standards throughout the operation, whilst the Club's Executive is the focal centre of 10 Special Interest Groups. Through these new groups, the Club has set an action programme for 1999 and a clear set of outputs. They are:

• Continue to monitor evidence concerning climate change. Identify three tangible impacts on regional businesses caused by climate change and report these through the media.
• Establish a mechanism for improving co-operative working between regional academic institutions and industry & commerce specific to environmental and sustainability issues. Identify a minimum of one major product gap as possible target opportunity for regional companies to respond to.
• Examine the hurdles confronting road to rail transfer of freight and people movement. Establish mechanisms to promote the benefits.
• Establish an active International SIG with enthusiastic and committed members. Stage at least one major event within the MEBC 1999 calendar on the international business opportunities related to environment and sustainability issues. Establish inter-active need and supply intelligence page on EnviroBiz PathFinder Web site. Develop closer working links with Joint Environmental Markets Unit.
• Stage one major event within the MEBC 1999 calendar on land reuse issues. Stage at least one event with the Environment Agency on new technology and methodology related to land clean up and reuse.
• Help communicate to at least 150 new SME targets via collective means such as business park and trading estate self help group development schemes.
• Progress the 2020 Vision (a view of the region in the year 2020) project to interim report status.
• Monitor development of and maintain links to the RDA.
• Secure the future of EBC News.
• Gain maximum media exposure for Club activity.
• Increase membership by 20%.
• Establish an active Professional Sector SIG with enthusiastic and committed members.
• Stage a minimum of three events for professional associations or institutions to promote to them the environment as a mainstream business issue.
• Examine opportunities for alliances with professional bodies.

For more information about one of the most active environmental business networks in the country phone 0121 693 8338; fax 0121 693 8448, or E-mail on ebc@dircon.co.uk.

David Middleton