The Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration is sponsoring the Climate Leader category of the 2024 Bendigo Business Excellence Awards to acknowledge business leaders in Greater Bendigo who are on the road to a zero emissions future.
Coordinator of the Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration Ian McBurney said the new award category aims to encourage all businesses to investigate how they can benefit from reduced power bills, solar power, electric vehicles and resource recovery.
"Entry for this award is open to every business already entering the awards, so businesses don't need to prepare a separate submission to enter as there will be an optional section within every category application to complete if it is appropriate to your business," Mr McBurney said.
"We want to see businesses who have commenced the journey to transition to renewable energy celebrated through this new award category.
"In 2023 the Collaboration in partnership with the City of Greater Bendigo, Be.Bendigo and AusIndustry launched the Beat the Power Bills Business program to help local small, medium and large businesses to get on board and begin future-proofing themselves against rising power prices.
"The program provides an opportunity for businesses to take control of their energy use and costs, by designing actions that align to their business needs.
"This program offers support to businesses of all sizes to reduce their power bills now and plan for a competitive edge in the fast-approaching renewable energy future.
"Businesses are saying that they know new energy and transport systems are coming in the near future but they are frustrated at the lack of support for innovation now.
"We urge local businesses to join us and discover how their business can benefit from the transition."
The Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration was formed in 2021. The Collaboration is hosted by the City of Greater Bendigo and made up of Major Partner Agnico Eagle, Founding partners Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Coliban Water and La Trobe University, Premium partners CVGT Employment and the North Central Catchment Management Authority, Community partners the Bendigo Sustainability Group, Bike Bendigo, Bendigo ACF, Bendigo Foodshare and supporters the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, Djaara and Be.Bendigo.
Alliance Partners are excluded from winning this award.
