Extend Plus Programme
Glasgow City Council recognises that reaching Net Zero and building resilience to climate change is a challenge for businesses. To help meet this, and to help address the challenge of rising energy costs, as part of its Green Deal, the Council has introduced a new programme in partnership with the University of Strathclyde to offer businesses a free GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Carbon baseline via their Extend Plus programme.
This programme is offered at no cost to the business and is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Extend Plus team will support SMEs to complete a GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Carbon Baseline which will serve as a foundation for businesses to understand their current carbon footprint, and detail recommendations for reduction of carbon emissions, potential cost savings and CO2 savings (tonnes per annum). This in turn will support Glasgow businesses to gain additional insights on their journey towards Net Zero.
What is a GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Carbon Baseline?
A GHG carbon baseline serves as a comprehensive measurement of a business's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It acts as a one-year snapshot, essentially providing a starting point for the business to begin their journey to carbon neutrality or Net Zero.
What are the benefits of a Carbon Baseline?
The benefits of a Carbon Baseline are that it supports businesses to not only comprehend their current carbon emissions but also track changes and progress over time. It plays a crucial role in setting goals, monitoring performance, and developing effective strategies for reducing emissions and contributing to sustainability and climate goals.
To make it easier GHG emissions are split into 3 categories, scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3.
- Scope 1 - emissions are direct greenhouse emissions that occur from sources that are owned by the company (e.g. burned fuel in boilers, vehicles).
- Scope 2 - emissions are indirect emissions associated with purchase or electricity, steam, or cooling.
Scope 3 - emissions which the company is indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain, (eg products or services purchased by the company, waste, commuting).
What information is required from a Business to complete the Carbon Baseline?
In order to complete a Carbon Baseline, businesses should provide the Extend Plus team with information relating (but not limited) to:
- The business's current energy use in terms of types of fuel use and typical annual costs e.g gas, electricity, oil, LPG, Biomass etc (This information could be obtained from energy bills for the last 12 months).
- The business's current number of staff who work from home/ commute to site.
- The business's current number of staff who commute (e.g via rail, cycling, bus, walking, personal vehicle) and distance travelled per week.
- The business's current number of staff who travel for business (e.g via air, road, maritime, train) and distance travelled per week.
- The business's volume of waste disposed. e.g monthly/ annually.
Additional information regarding goods and services procured by the business.
What does it cost?
This is a free service. There are no upfront costs to businesses and no financial contribution required.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for support, you should be:
- A community interest company, limited company, limited liability partnership, public limited company, sole trader or a registered social enterprise.
- Employ fewer than 250 employees.
- Have a turnover of no more than £36,000,000 per annum.
- Operate from within Glasgow City Council boundary and, in business premises, must be registered with the Non Domestic Rates office within the Council (Postcode checker: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council). Please also be aware there have been some recent changes to the Small Business Support Scheme. Details of these changes can be found here.
- Businesses must be compliant with Minimal Financial Assistance threshold of £315,000 over the current and the previous two financial years. The threshold will not be exceeded by the amount the business will receive if access to programme is approved.
- Must not be engaged in any activities such as gambling or other industries that could be deemed unethical.
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Businesses who possess undischarged bankrupts, subject to insolvency proceedings or an individual who has entered an arrangement with his/her creditors (including a trust deed).
- Any community groups.
- Any voluntary organisations.
Any outstanding debts to Glasgow City Council will be taken into consideration.
Application Process
To apply please complete our Application form.
Once we have received your application form a Business Support Officer will review your application and eligibility. If your application is approved, an award letter will be issued, and your details referred to the Extend Plus programme team.
Please note that due to the process the Extend Plus team follow, we assume that all applicants have availability and resource to engage in this programme of support immediately.
If you are interested in the programme but not available to commence immediately, please email greenbusinesssupport@glasgow.gov.uk to express your interest and advise regarding availability.
Next Steps
- The Extend Plus Project Coordinator will contact the business within 48 hours of the referral being made.
- The Extend Plus team will then email the business to schedule a 20 minute call and send out the Extend Plus GCR Checklist (PDF) [110KB] for review. Please note that this checklist provides a prompt as to the information the Extend Plus team will require for the baseline assessment. The form does not ask the business to provide the information but gives the business an idea of what they may be asked to provide.
- The introduction call is so that Extend Plus team can find out more about the business and to establish the aims of the business; during which a site visit will be scheduled with the business (generally within 2 weeks of the introduction call)
- The Extend Plus team will then send out a data collection spreadsheet to the business which they are asked to update ideally prior to the site visit.
- The aim of the site visit is to gather further information by observing how the business operates and identifying potential opportunities to reduce the emissions produced by the operations and to support the business to complete the data collection spreadsheet.
- Once the spreadsheet has been returned and the site visit completed, the Extend Plus team will complete the calculations to establish the GHG Baseline and produce a report, which will be sent to the business.
- If needed, another call will be scheduled by the Extend Plus Programme with the business to clarify the report.
- The deliverable from this project is a GHG Carbon baseline report, where the business will find their emissions split by scope, with some recommendations for their reduction.
- The completed report can also be used in conjunction with any GCC Green Business Grant where the business and proposed scope of works is eligible.
Conditions of Support
- A condition of the programme is that applicants will be required to provide data on the impact that the programme has made on energy use and/or carbon emissions.
The programme closes to new applications on 31st January 2025 or when funding for places is fully allocated (whichever is earlier).
Unacceptable Actions Policy
Our staff are here to assist you with your business enquiry however, insulting or abusive behaviour towards our staff will not be tolerated. Please note that our services may be withdrawn in line with our Unacceptable Actions Policy if anyone is considered as being abusive.
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Documents
- Extend Plus Programme Guidance Notes (Word doc) [105KB]
- Extend Plus GCR Checklist (PDF) [110KB]
- Green Business Support Guide (PDF) [224KB] (opens new window)
- Green Business Support programme FAQs (PDF) [257KB] (opens new window)
Links
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Successful applicants should follow UK Shared Prosperity Fund branding and publicity requirements. Please click here for details.
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