Collaboration is key as SMEs come together to solve sustainability challenges.

Over the last two years WMG has welcomed over 40 SME manufacturers onto their Net Zero Innovation Network with the mission to increase sustainability in the UK’s manufacturing supply chain.  

The Starting Point  

Following the launch of the Government’s Net Zero strategy in 2021, WMG at the University of Warwick knew that there would be a need to support the manufacturing supply chain with the ambitious targets.  

SMEs contribute 44% of the UK’s private sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet nine out of 10 don’t fully understand what the Government’s target of making the UK Net Zero by 2050 means for them and just one in ten businesses are measuring their carbon footprint.  

Part of solving this issue is to help SMEs understand the benefits of decarbonising the workplace. Sustainability is important to businesses but the ultimate drivers for this kind of change are reducing costs, boosting reputation, and meeting their customers’ growing requirements for a greener supply chain. The energy crisis really accelerated manufacturers desire for action in this space to minimise the impact of price hikes. 

The Programme 

Already delivering a range of support programmes to SME manufacturers and with a team of experts in place, WMG designed a new project to respond to the challenge. The WMG Net Zero Innovation Network (NZIN) brings together five to eight SME manufacturers to form a cohort with a larger “customer” manufacturing organisation and a member of WMG’s SME group to work together on Net Zero challenges.  

The WMG Net Zero Innovation Network consists of six key elements: 

Innovation Project  

A five-day technical innovation project to overcome a sustainability challenge which can reduce material costs, increase turnover, improve productivity, generate new products, or gain a competitive advantage for the business involved. 

Best Practice Visit  

An opportunity to observe sustainability innovations and best practice at other UK manufacturing businesses to help generate ideas for firms. 

Net Zero Readiness Assessment 

A tool to assess how prepared a business is to meet Net Zero targets looking at their current position in terms of buildings and facilities, organisation and culture, supply chain and logistics, manufacturing processes, and materials and services.  

Collaboration Events  

A series of events and workshops for businesses to meet experts in green manufacturing and to discuss important sustainability topics. 

Net Zero Roadmap  

The generation of a 10-year roadmap to Net Zero and business action plan developed in collaboration with one of WMG’s sustainability experts. The idea is to use the roadmap to win tenders or as part of corporate social responsibility activity. 

Grant Funding  

The opportunity to apply for £10,000-£100,000 to support the implementation of sustainability and energy efficiency projects and equipment funded through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. 

How to get involved 

The network is pre-funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund for businesses who meet the criteria. If you would like to get involved in the programme, you must, be a small medium enterprise and based in the West Midlands Combined Authority area and preferably a manufacturer.  

For more information email: wmgsme@warwick.ac.uk. 

First published in The Manufacturer March 2024 – https://www.themanufacturer.com/magazine/the-manufacturer-q1-2024/