Dozens of progressive businesses from all over South London gathered on Friday at the Green Business Expo sponsored by SOS Office Solutions, www.sos-express.co.uk, Wandsworth's leading supplier of environmentally-friendly office products. The event had trade stands, seminars, a "speed networking" session - a kind of speed dating for businesses, and a selection of green raffle prizes donated by local companies.
Held at the Riverside Business Park and graced by Wandsworth's Mayor, Cllr Jane Cooper, it demonstrated that even in a difficult business environment, becoming a greener company makes financial sense.
Trish Smith, Managing Director of SOS Office Solutions, says, "Being green does not need to be the more expensive option - our environmentally friendly products cost no more than conventional products and can often save you money. Show me an invoice and I will prove our products will improve your bottom line. As well as helping to save the planet!"
Helen Clark Bell, Operations Manager of MCC Business Solutions, who delivered a seminar on Greening Your Business, says, "A small investment, in for example changing your lighting to LEDs, can have a quick payback in terms of reduced energy costs." She gave an example of how a business couldn't work out how its office was using more energy in the night when it was empty, than during the day when everyone was at work and using the office equipment. Someone stayed late one evening and found as the office cooled, the fan heaters automatically came on, heating a deserted office! Helen says, "There's no better time to go green than now, when every penny counts."
Over fifty people representing businesses all over South London, from a wide variety of commercial sectors, attended. Julian Jackson, freelance journalist, and green PR specialist says, "It was a fun event and I got to network with the decision-makers in a number of sectors, not to mention getting the low-down on the best charity bookshop in South London, which will feed my second-hand book addiction."
The event was sponsored by SOS Office Solutions, and supported by Wandsworth Council and Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce. Steve Pinto, Vice Chairman, Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce says, "Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce were very pleased to support Trish Smith and SOS Office Solutions in helping to make this Green Business Expo such a success. Trish has been a Chamber member for many years and regularly supports our events, so when she asked for some support in promoting her event, it was really very easy to say, yes. Greening your business is close to the hearts of our members and we all are very impressed that Trish under took such an important initiative and is leading on the green front in Earlsfield."