Local NGO hosts seminar to help local businesses go green |06 October 2021
The NGO Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) yesterday hosted an interactive seminar for Seychellois business leaders on the benefits of shifting towards sustainable and low carbon business practices.
The event, which took place at the Club Med Seychelles (Ste Anne Island), was attended by some 25 participants and they got to learn more on how their business can start going green.
S4S is a local NGO that aims to promote sustainable practices in Seychelles, such as reducing waste, maximising energy and water efficiency, and reducing carbon footprints.
A recent survey conducted by S4S indicates that businesses welcome information and support that can help them reduce their impact on their environment and tackle climate change.
The aim of this workshop was to share information about green business practices, resources available to help businesses, and practical ideas from local business leaders already engaged in sustainable practices.
Dr Michele P. Martin, Environmental Consultant, Sustainability / Climate Change / Education for S4S noted that the seminar went well. “We were very happy to have participants representing a wide range of businesses from manufacturing to retail, farming, crafts, electronics and pest control. All of the participants were there to learn about sustainable practices and think about how they can apply them in the context of their business, no matter what the size. Participants expressed interest in the testimonials from businesses such as Penlac and Seybrew that are already prioritizing sustainability and environmental concerns as part of corporate social responsibility, and going well beyond the basic legal requirements to safeguard the environment. ESA and the Energy Commission were present to share information about the support and services that the government can provide to help businesses go green.”
Dr Martin also shared that the participants talked about the need for government support and fiscal incentives to help businesses adopt more sustainable practices regarding waste management, energy and water. All agreed that there was a need for more dialogue between government and businesses on how to move more quickly on adopting more sustainable and climate proof practices in the private sector.
The workshop ended with a presentation by S4S about a new sustainability auditing service the NGO is developing to help businesses calculate their carbon footprint and make a plan to become more sustainable and work towards becoming carbon neutral.
“All in all it was a good day. We were very grateful for the support of Club Med – it was a treat to go to Ste Anne for this event, and we were happy with the turnout,” concluded Dr Martin.
This workshop was made possible with funding support from the National Grants Committee and Club Med Seychelles.
The accompanying photos show some highlights of the workshop.
Vidya Gappy
