Building a low carbon economy is one of the biggest challenges of our time. The European Union has committed itself to make a full low carbon transition by 2050, which means actively working towards better management of resources, promotion of low carbon innovations, and increase awareness of change amongst European business communities.

JOIN SAFE-ICE TOWARDS A LOW CARBON ECONOMY

SAFE-ICE is a cluster of 5 Interreg IV A 2 Seas projects from four European Countries (the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom) involving 10 formal partners, as well as 5 related projects involving 10 associate partners funded by 4 other European Programmes, all working in the low carbon economy.

Read our new publication: 3 INSPIRING APPROACHES TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PARKS

The publication provides an overview of the various regional approaches among the SAFE-ICE regions on sustainable business park management. It gives examples from the companies and park managers of good and bad practices to learn from, underlining drivers as well as pitfalls.

 

The event for new businesses!

For anyone who has recently started or is planning to launch a new business, spending a day at Kent 2020 Vision START-UP LIVE will prove invaluable.

This free-to-attend event on Wednesday, October 20 will give you access to an unrivalled collection of support providers, potential suppliers, information and inspiration.

Starting a new business can be both daunting and exciting at the same time. Kent 2020 Vision START-UP LIVE is specifically designed to provide you with access to the best possible support, advice, contacts & relevant suppliers, all in one place on one day to provide essential information for the early stages of any new business.
The one-stop-shop for Kent marketers…

Kent 2020 Vision MARKETING LIVE is an exciting event for forward-thinking marketing professionals, providing new ideas and practical advice via an integrated programme of inspirational keynotes, practical workshops and a highly focused exhibition.

All elements of the day are free-to-attend – focusing firmly on getting the most from your marketing budget to maximise the effectiveness of your campaigns and keep you ahead of your competition.

Interactive presentations and a multitude of networking opportunities enable you to share experiences with your peers, gain new perspectives on familiar challenges and make valuable contacts for the future.

Visit the Kent 2020 website here for more information and to register. You can also see video highlights of last year’s event.

The Kent Women in Business Awards 2015 take place tonight, with over 70 of Kent’s top business women vying for honours – five of whom are directly connected to BSK.

BSK CEO, Alex Ledger, along with Business Growth Manager, Annette Bunn, will be presenting the Business Woman of the Year (over 3 years) Award. Alex says: ” We are thrilled that some of our clients have been recognised and looking to celebrating the success of Women within Kent. Our congratulations to all those who have been nominated and the winners of each category.”

There’s much interest for BSK, as four of our GrowthAccelerator clients have been shortlisted – thankfully in different categories!

• Hanna Gee (Love Inc), began manufacturing vintage wares for her pop up shop in Tunbridge Wells, moving to online trading. Proving particularly popular are her educational placemats. which are being sold both retail and wholesale. She is shortlisted in Retailer of the Year.
• Kristina Boulden (Romney Marsh Wools) produces raw wools for throws and cushions, plus lanolin based toiletries, such as soaps, shampoos and hand lotions. She is a previous KEiBA finalist and a KWIB winner in 2013. Kristina is nominated in the Professional Achievement Award.
• Denise Keeson of Your Physical Plan YPP.Com Limited has been established for 1 year and specialises in providing marketing, admin and support services to the healthcare industry. Denise is shortlisted for the Business Woman of the Year (under 3 years).
• Anny Lowe of Elsatex, one of our most successful clients and already the recipient of many of Kent’s most prestigious business awards. Anny is nominated in the Business Woman of the Year (over 3 years) category.
• Finally, Jane Ollis, previously CEO of BSK and now with RIFT Accounting, is shortlisted in the Business Woman of the Year (under 3 years).

We wish all of them the best of luck!

Now in its third year, KWiBA is viewed as one of the most vibrant awards in the county, with a record number of entries for 2015. The ceremony takes place tonight in a black tie gala celebration at the Great Danes Hotel in Hollingbourne. Last minute tickets to the ceremony can be bought here.

our opinions matter and we can help them be heard!

Linda Bennett, responded on behalf of BSK-CiC and Enterprise Europe South East^UK after canvassing views amongst South East businesses on the European Commission’s proposals for how to support innovation in businesses across Europe from 2014. The key point she identified was the need to simplify the process to apply for European funding and to speed up response times as most businesses can’t wait nine months for the application to go through.

Almost 800 organisations responded to the consultation including governments, major companies such as Microsoft and Siemens, as well as trade bodies.

Results of the Europe-wide feedback was published last month and we are pleased to report that not only was there huge support for Enterprise Europe Network, one of BSK-CiC’s flagship projects, but we found ourselves quoted in the text sandwiched between comments from the German Federal Government and BIS, the UK Government’s department for Business Innovation and Skills.

UTILISE Utility Management Workshops explore energy, waste and water management and look for areas where savings can be made for your organisation.

Topics include:

• Understanding billing and utility tariffs; electricity, gas, water and waste
• Benchmarking and carbon footprinting
• Environmental legislation
• Staff and customer involvement
• Technologies and gadgets
• Marketing your green credentials
• Grant and funding opportunities
• Environmental Management Systems

With interactive exercises throughout the day, each delegate develops a personalised action plan to help kick start improvements in their organisation.

To book your place on this workshop please contact us .  For more information please visit www.utilise.org.uk.

Event Organiser: BSK CiC and WSSBP CiC

Register: 09:30

Venue: Canterbury, Kent

Cost: Free