Organisations taking action

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Businesses and other organisations account for around 30% of Cornwall's carbon emissions, with the majority coming from heat and power used in work premises and road transport.


Organisations across Cornwall - from all sectors - are taking action to reduce their own environmental impact through decarbonisation efforts. Whether it's switching to renewable energy, rethinking their supply chains, reducing waste, or supporting staff to travel more sustainably, every action adds up. Many are also collaborating through local networks, developing and sharing resources, and learning together. No matter the size or sector, every organisation has a role to play.

Reducing emissions is good for our environment and provides direct business benefits. Actions taken to cut emissions (reducing our use of fossil fuels) can:

  • Reduce annual energy bills
  • Help organisations stay competitive
  • Meet growing customer expectations
  • Positively impact on staff recruitment
  • Future proof your business


Action and inspiration

Cornwall's organisations are growing a strong reputation for taking action.

Learn about the Cornwall-grown companies that are taking the lead on reducing emissions from their operations on the right-hand side of this page. From those measuring their carbon footprints and making a start on understanding what they can do, through to those rolling out significant changes and spreading the word to their suppliers.



Support for organisations

If you don’t know how your organisation can respond to the climate emergency and what to start with, there is support available with advice and ideas for simple, and more substantial, steps to take.

Organisations across Cornwall are already leading the way and sharing their knowledge and expertise in the form of guides and toolkits. While some are sector-specific, others have advice that will be useful to all.

Below are some key resources that will help you and your organisation on your own journey. There is a selection of videos in the right hand panel to watch and hear directly from those taking action.

Take a look and share with others.


Key resources


Business


The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (CIOS) Good Business Pathfinder is an online platform that provides practical tools, real-world case studies, and resources for businesses in the region to achieve sustainable growth. Particularly useful information for businesses taking action on climate and energy can be found under Principle 5: Environmental Responsibility and Principle 6: Responsible Sourcing. Here you will find the tools to measure your business footprint and identify key areas to work on. The Pathfinder aims to foster connection and a shared approach to best practice among local businesses. It complements existing resources offered by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), UK Business Climate Hub, and the Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly Growth Hub.

The resources listed in the Pathfinder are relevant to all types of organisation delivering different goods and services.


Useful resources tailored to specific business areas are listed below.


Construction

From retrofit (which is the upgrading of homes to increase energy efficiency and reduce or remove their reliance on fossil fuels for heating) to new builds, the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework from the UK Green Buildings Council provides information and resources for the construction sector.

To find out more about sustainable construction green skills and training opportunities at our local colleges: Truro and Penwith College and Cornwall College.


Creative and cultural

The Sustainability Action Plan for Cornwall's creative and cultural community is the result of a series of gatherings and a shared commitment from creatives, cultural organisations, and communities across Cornwall to shape conversations, challenge norms, and lead meaningful change. The Plan provides practical tools, case studies, and resources to help embed sustainability into your work in ways that support people, communities, and the planet, wherever you are on your sustainability and creative journey.


Healthcare

The Primary Care Health and Climate Resilience Programme's website provides local case studies and resources on all things climate action for general practice, dentistry, optometry, community pharmacy, and community hubs.

On the website you can view the Atlas that demonstrates how the programme is supporting primary care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to deliver multiple co-benefits for people and planet.

Based at Volunteer Cornwall and funded by NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, the Health and Climate Resilience Programme team works within the NHS primary care sector supporting transformational change for health creation, climate, and nature. They help primary care groups navigate opportunities to adopt more sustainable business models, whilst also helping to reduce impact on the environment, improve health, and make financial savings. This supports primary care to embed the NHS 10 Year Plan and Greener NHS objectives.


Greener Practice Cornwall is a network set up to disseminate sustainable healthcare advice to practice level and facilitate knowledge exchange and learning. They have a wealth of resources on their website - including project case studies and toolkits/advice to help you get started.

Land management

The way land is managed can help reduce emissions and can also contribute to capturing and storing carbon. Some projects that support this are:

Forest for Cornwall - the team support tree planting on large areas of land and in communities. Planting the right trees, in the right place, for the right purpose. Find out how they can help.

Farm Net Zero is a major project led by the farming community in Cornwall to show the contribution that agriculture can make to achieving net zero. The farmers involved share their growing knowledge with the wider community, as actions that work on farms can be replicated at a smaller scale in gardens, allotments, and green spaces. The Farm Carbon Toolkit helps with where to start and holds a wealth of case studies and other resources.

The Agri Carbon Kernow project is an extension of the highly successful Farm Net Zero project, offering further support to farmers in Cornwall. This includes helping them to reduce their carbon footprint and external input costs.


Marine

The marine industry covers land based and ocean-based organisations and businesses. In addition to the Good Business Pathfinder's guidance on environmental responsibility for businesses taking action to reduce their impact, the Guide to Sustainable Sailing Clubs (World Sailing) provides information on how to save money and conserve the boating environment. It covers how to take action to address direct pollution, waste management, energy efficiency, water use, biodiversity and running events.


Visitor Economy

Visit Britain's Regenerative Tourism Guide takes you, step by step, on a journey to a better, more sustainable business. It offers background on sustainability issues, practical tips you can take action on right away, and includes helpful worksheets to get yourself organised. Find out why regenerative tourism is more important than ever and what role your business can play in taking care of the planet, your people, and your community.

Get inspired by those who have taken action on improving their sustainability and have seen real business benefits as a result. From activity providers to holiday parks, museums to stately homes, they are a varied bunch with one thing in common - they have all embedded sustainability into the heart of their operations.


Voluntary, community, and social enterprise

The Green Footsteps Guide is a practical toolkit designed to help voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations embed climate friendly practices in their every-day operations and take their first steps toward sustainability. It offers guidance on building resilience to current and future climate change impacts while fostering long-term environmental responsibility.

While the Guide includes information tailored to Cornwall and the VCSE sector, it also offers valuable insights and resources applicable to individuals and community organisations everywhere. It compiles a wealth of collective knowledge held by climate and environmental professionals and makes it available to all.

Other helpful information:

The Youth-led Climate Action Report highlights the energy and passion of young people taking action on climate change in their local communities. Through RJ Working’s facilitative approach with schools, colleges, and community groups, young people in Cornwall are learning to lead positive environmental change. The 10 ‘Stories of Change’ featured in the report paint a rich and diverse picture of youth-led climate action, showing how creativity, collaboration, and restorative practices can come together to make a real difference.


Businesses and other organisations account for around 30% of Cornwall's carbon emissions, with the majority coming from heat and power used in work premises and road transport.


Organisations across Cornwall - from all sectors - are taking action to reduce their own environmental impact through decarbonisation efforts. Whether it's switching to renewable energy, rethinking their supply chains, reducing waste, or supporting staff to travel more sustainably, every action adds up. Many are also collaborating through local networks, developing and sharing resources, and learning together. No matter the size or sector, every organisation has a role to play.

Reducing emissions is good for our environment and provides direct business benefits. Actions taken to cut emissions (reducing our use of fossil fuels) can:

  • Reduce annual energy bills
  • Help organisations stay competitive
  • Meet growing customer expectations
  • Positively impact on staff recruitment
  • Future proof your business


Action and inspiration

Cornwall's organisations are growing a strong reputation for taking action.

Learn about the Cornwall-grown companies that are taking the lead on reducing emissions from their operations on the right-hand side of this page. From those measuring their carbon footprints and making a start on understanding what they can do, through to those rolling out significant changes and spreading the word to their suppliers.



Support for organisations

If you don’t know how your organisation can respond to the climate emergency and what to start with, there is support available with advice and ideas for simple, and more substantial, steps to take.

Organisations across Cornwall are already leading the way and sharing their knowledge and expertise in the form of guides and toolkits. While some are sector-specific, others have advice that will be useful to all.

Below are some key resources that will help you and your organisation on your own journey. There is a selection of videos in the right hand panel to watch and hear directly from those taking action.

Take a look and share with others.


Key resources


Business


The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (CIOS) Good Business Pathfinder is an online platform that provides practical tools, real-world case studies, and resources for businesses in the region to achieve sustainable growth. Particularly useful information for businesses taking action on climate and energy can be found under Principle 5: Environmental Responsibility and Principle 6: Responsible Sourcing. Here you will find the tools to measure your business footprint and identify key areas to work on. The Pathfinder aims to foster connection and a shared approach to best practice among local businesses. It complements existing resources offered by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), UK Business Climate Hub, and the Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly Growth Hub.

The resources listed in the Pathfinder are relevant to all types of organisation delivering different goods and services.


Useful resources tailored to specific business areas are listed below.


Construction

From retrofit (which is the upgrading of homes to increase energy efficiency and reduce or remove their reliance on fossil fuels for heating) to new builds, the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework from the UK Green Buildings Council provides information and resources for the construction sector.

To find out more about sustainable construction green skills and training opportunities at our local colleges: Truro and Penwith College and Cornwall College.


Creative and cultural

The Sustainability Action Plan for Cornwall's creative and cultural community is the result of a series of gatherings and a shared commitment from creatives, cultural organisations, and communities across Cornwall to shape conversations, challenge norms, and lead meaningful change. The Plan provides practical tools, case studies, and resources to help embed sustainability into your work in ways that support people, communities, and the planet, wherever you are on your sustainability and creative journey.


Healthcare

The Primary Care Health and Climate Resilience Programme's website provides local case studies and resources on all things climate action for general practice, dentistry, optometry, community pharmacy, and community hubs.

On the website you can view the Atlas that demonstrates how the programme is supporting primary care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to deliver multiple co-benefits for people and planet.

Based at Volunteer Cornwall and funded by NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, the Health and Climate Resilience Programme team works within the NHS primary care sector supporting transformational change for health creation, climate, and nature. They help primary care groups navigate opportunities to adopt more sustainable business models, whilst also helping to reduce impact on the environment, improve health, and make financial savings. This supports primary care to embed the NHS 10 Year Plan and Greener NHS objectives.


Greener Practice Cornwall is a network set up to disseminate sustainable healthcare advice to practice level and facilitate knowledge exchange and learning. They have a wealth of resources on their website - including project case studies and toolkits/advice to help you get started.

Land management

The way land is managed can help reduce emissions and can also contribute to capturing and storing carbon. Some projects that support this are:

Forest for Cornwall - the team support tree planting on large areas of land and in communities. Planting the right trees, in the right place, for the right purpose. Find out how they can help.

Farm Net Zero is a major project led by the farming community in Cornwall to show the contribution that agriculture can make to achieving net zero. The farmers involved share their growing knowledge with the wider community, as actions that work on farms can be replicated at a smaller scale in gardens, allotments, and green spaces. The Farm Carbon Toolkit helps with where to start and holds a wealth of case studies and other resources.

The Agri Carbon Kernow project is an extension of the highly successful Farm Net Zero project, offering further support to farmers in Cornwall. This includes helping them to reduce their carbon footprint and external input costs.


Marine

The marine industry covers land based and ocean-based organisations and businesses. In addition to the Good Business Pathfinder's guidance on environmental responsibility for businesses taking action to reduce their impact, the Guide to Sustainable Sailing Clubs (World Sailing) provides information on how to save money and conserve the boating environment. It covers how to take action to address direct pollution, waste management, energy efficiency, water use, biodiversity and running events.


Visitor Economy

Visit Britain's Regenerative Tourism Guide takes you, step by step, on a journey to a better, more sustainable business. It offers background on sustainability issues, practical tips you can take action on right away, and includes helpful worksheets to get yourself organised. Find out why regenerative tourism is more important than ever and what role your business can play in taking care of the planet, your people, and your community.

Get inspired by those who have taken action on improving their sustainability and have seen real business benefits as a result. From activity providers to holiday parks, museums to stately homes, they are a varied bunch with one thing in common - they have all embedded sustainability into the heart of their operations.


Voluntary, community, and social enterprise

The Green Footsteps Guide is a practical toolkit designed to help voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations embed climate friendly practices in their every-day operations and take their first steps toward sustainability. It offers guidance on building resilience to current and future climate change impacts while fostering long-term environmental responsibility.

While the Guide includes information tailored to Cornwall and the VCSE sector, it also offers valuable insights and resources applicable to individuals and community organisations everywhere. It compiles a wealth of collective knowledge held by climate and environmental professionals and makes it available to all.

Other helpful information:

The Youth-led Climate Action Report highlights the energy and passion of young people taking action on climate change in their local communities. Through RJ Working’s facilitative approach with schools, colleges, and community groups, young people in Cornwall are learning to lead positive environmental change. The 10 ‘Stories of Change’ featured in the report paint a rich and diverse picture of youth-led climate action, showing how creativity, collaboration, and restorative practices can come together to make a real difference.

Page last updated: 10 Dec 2025, 11:15 AM