The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce has launched a new programme to help local businesses reduce their carbon emissions.

Its Business Climate Leaders (BCL) is designed to help Norfolk small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) starting or already on their journey towards achieving net zero.

Under the programme, firms and organisations across the county will be brought together to share relevant information to help them towards making choices, implementing policies and changing their behaviours to reduce their emissions.

Chris Sargisson, CEO of the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses are more aware than ever that now is the time to take action to tackle climate change, but for many knowing where to start and what to do is difficult to understand and time-consuming.

"The objective of the BCL approach is simple; a free to access programme for every business, designed to educate, enable and support SMEs to seek, understand and apply appropriate, tested actions and activities that will put them on the path to net zero.

"The programme is also very much in line with the Chambers' vision; to connect, support and give voice to every business in Norfolk.”

The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce has launched the programme as SMEs are under growing pressure to reduce their emissions after the government announced its aim for net zero by 2050.

To help firms navigate through the mass of information already available, the BCL programme has a section of the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce's website where resources such as blogs, podcasts and videos can be accessed for free.

It will also be holding a number of BCL events for businesses including the King’s Lynn Climate Change Expo set to take place in partnership with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk on June 21 at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange.

The Expo will showcase decarbonisation measures and provide advice on how this works to benefit local enterprises, as well as reach the government's 2050 net zero target.

Further information on the Business Climate Leaders programme can be found at norfolkchamber.co.uk/business-climate-leaders.