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As part of its drive to ensure East London Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from within the built environment are best placed to benefit from the region’s raft of regeneration activities, ELBP is working with the Institute for Sustainability to set up and deliver an East London Supply Chain Network as part of the Institute for Sustainability’s FLASH programme.

Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the FLASH programme provides a range of business support to London’s SMEs. It has been designed to help businesses working in construction or other built environment industries, technologies and professions to familiarise themselves and seize the commercial opportunities presented by the growing market for sustainable development and retrofit arising from the huge investment in upgrading current building stock to meet government carbon reduction targets.

We want to help SMEs gear up for the opportunities and challenges ahead – and to maximise direct engagement with social housing, commercial etc clients to ensure SMEs form a key part of the solution.

The Institute has access to some of the most recent and credible research, analysis and best practice in the field. In partnership with the Institute, ELBP is trialling this local area network in East London to form a collaborative business support network with an East London FLASH membership that can benefit from such information free of charge.

Participating SMEs will benefit from supply chain development work which may include, but need not be limited to the following opportunities:

• Information on upcoming contract opportunities relevant to their business

• Workshops and events, including procurement clinics, forums, supplier showcases, networking and meet the buyer events

• Networking with public sector buyers relevant to the FLASH target audiences e.g. Local Authorities, Arm’s Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) and Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s)

• Networking with potential local supply partners towards collaborative bidding for contracts

• Access to the relevant Trade and Professional Networks, Flash Innovation and Environmental Improvement Support Service offers as appropriate to business needs

• Support to become fit-to-supply, including implementing environmental policies and management standards, immediate or forecast resource use improvements where appropriate, marketing and positioning environmental credentials, help with developing sustainable construction methods/materials, product development/refinement.

• Access to an online portal giving a range of useful information including the Institute’s Building Opportunities for Business Retrofit Guides written by leading industry experts. These cover the complete carbon domestic retrofit process and explore the business opportunities emerging from the low carbon building and retrofit market.

Email Glen Addis at glen.addis@elbp.co.uk or Gay Harrington at gay.harrington@elbp.co.uk or phone 020 7537 6480 to arrange an appointment.