Sustainable Business Scheme

The Shropshire Hills Sustainable Business Scheme aims to encourage businesses and their customers to become more sustainable. Accredited businesses will be allowed controlled use of the Shropshire Hills 'buy local- be sustainable' stamp.

This means businesses are committed to:

• Reduce our impact on the environment
• Benefit wildlife and landscape
• Involve local people and visitors
• Support the local economy
• Participate in a network of like minded businesses

The scheme is run by the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership. The scheme and members will be promoted through this website, and a package of other benefits that will help make it easy for businesses to become more sustainable. It is open to all eligible businesses in and around the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) that are prepared to sign a pledge, fill out an annual sustainability appraisal and get involved with the network of businesses in the scheme.

Why get involved?

Businesses

• Use the Shropshire Hills 'buy local- be sustainable' stamp and promote your business through the buy local website
• Get easy to follow advice on sustainability issues and potentially reduce costs
• Be recognised and gain a competitive advantage from becoming more sustainable
• Become more attractive to the sustainability conscious consumer
• Enjoy opportunities to get to know and share ideas with other like minded businesses
• Become more involved with local people and make sure they are your customers
• Be better informed about the Shropshire Hills and how to sustain the area
• Get ahead of the game- legislation is likely to enforce a more sustainable approach

Consumers

• Buy wonderful local products and services from businesses that are committed to being more sustainable
• Do your best for the local economy, local people and the environment
• Strengthen your local businesses and the communities they support
• Encourage more local jobs
• Get better information about the Shropshire Hills and how to sustain the area
• Have a better awareness and understanding of sustainability issues

Shropshire Hills AONB

• Encourage a greater awareness and understanding of the Shropshire Hills and the AONB
• Have a better relationship with local businesses and knowledge of the issues they face
• Contribute to an improved environment, community and local economy ....
• ..... and ultimately achieve better conservation of the Shropshire Hills

To receive further information about the Shropshire Hills Sustainable Business Scheme please email: besustainable@shropshire.gov.uk

Download a copy of an example of a businesses' appraisal table

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What's special about the Shropshire Hills?

A landscape of diversity and contrast created by varied geology, the Shropshire Hills provide a dramatic link between the Midlands and the Welsh mountains. The craggy Stiperstones and Wrekin, the moorland plateau and valleys of the Long Mynd, the quarried Clee Hills, the wooded Wenlock Edge and the rolling Clun Forest all have their own character.

Centuries of farming have shaped the landscape. 70% of the AONB is grazing land, and below the rough hilltops and commons lies a patchwork of fields rich in hedgerows and veteran trees. Ancient woodland, wildflower meadows and orchards survive, with their characteristic plants and invertebrates. Red grouse, skylark and dormouse are among the great variety of birds and mammals.

The Rivers Clun, Teme and Onny, along with many smaller rivers and streams, are very unspoilt. Many are lined with alder, and home to important species such as freshwater crayfish and otter.

Hillforts, castles, mottes and Offa's Dyke tell of centuries of border strife. Much of the pattern of dispersed settlement and small fields is very ancient. Stone, brick and timbered buildings combine with the industrial relics of lead mining, quarrying and charcoal burning. Off the beaten track and remote in the context of the West Midlands, the Shropshire Hills are a haven of tranquillity - peace and quiet, dark skies and unspoilt views and scenery.

From the town of Church Stretton to remote villages, strong and active communities are maintaining rural culture and traditions while adapting to changes. Opportunities for enjoyment and wellbeing are open to both locals and visitors alike through walks and outdoor activities which respect the area's qualities.

Nationally important, locally managed

The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a legal designation, with the principal purpose to conserve and enhance natural beauty. Natural beauty is not just scenery and wildlife, but includes geology, air, soil and water, cultural heritage and tranquillity. AONBs also have a purpose to promote sustainable development - activities achieving economic, social and environmental benefits in combination. Designated in 1958, the AONB covers 804km2 (23% of Shropshire).

People and place

The Shropshire Hills is a living, working area. Keeping vibrant communities goes hand in hand with maintaining the landscape. AONB purposes also say that "account should be taken of the needs of agriculture, forestry, and other rural industries and of the economic and social needs of local communities." In addition, "the demand for recreation should be met so far as this is consistent" with the other purposes.

Sustainability

Like other areas, the Shropshire Hills faces real sustainability challenges such as energy, transport, food, employment and the landscape. Businesses, the community and the public sector can work together to tackle these issues.

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership

A legal duty to fulfil the AONB's purposes rests with five local authorities, who act jointly in a formal structure called the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership. Other members include conservation bodies, landowner and community representatives and interests such as recreation and tourism.

What does 'sustainability' mean?

Sustainability is a process in which we all try continuously to "do better" in relation to:

• Creating a strong local economy
• Building healthy and happy communities
• Managing natural resources to ensure we do not deplete them
• Conserving and enhancing wildlife and the landscape

This is important to the future prosperity and vitality of the Shropshire Hills and we can all do something towards the process.

Is my business eligible?

Please look at the eligibility criteria below to ensure your business can join. If you are uncertain or have any questions, please call us.

Criteria	Tourism	Producers	Other	Comments
Membership of Visit Britain's / AA star rating system				Necessary for website to be linked to regional and national sites
Farm holdings registered in an agri-environment scheme				Where farm holdings are able to qualify
High standards of animal welfare				Intensive, indoor reared livestock or poultry enterprises will not be eligible
Utilising local supply chains				Listed on the shropshirehills-buylocal.co.uk website

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership reserves the right to refuse entry to any business that they deem does not complement the ethos of the scheme.

What area is covered?

Businesses within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the surrounding market towns and the countryside around them are all eligible.

Rather than having a strict border we prefer to allow businesses to decide whether they have an affinity to the Shropshire Hills and would like to promote themselves using this branding. Businesses in parts of Herefordshire and Powys may consider joining.

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership, however, reserves the right to refuse inclusion in the scheme if they feel a business is too far away to have a real connection to the AONB.

Do I have to pay to join?

To become involved with the scheme an annual fee of £25 will be required. This will be to cover the costs of the scheme, which will not be a money making venture.

These costs are:

• Printing and laminating the pledge and appraisal
• Window stickers
• 'Spotlight on' advertising on the new website and listing in a new directory
• Laminated poster showing map of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the relevant market towns
• Sustainable Business Toolkit (see below)
• Signage for retail outlets including farmers market stalls
• Customer leaflets and leaflet dispensers
• Promotional postcards and book marks
• Organising discussion groups, visits and trade meetings

Free listing will be available on the website but without the benefits outlined above.

For those businesses joining the scheme before the end of October 2008, however, membership will be free. This is to encourage you to get involved and as a reflection of the initial need to develop the scheme. Businesses that get involved at an early stage will be asked if they would like to join a small group which will guide this development; thus ensuring the scheme is of value to them and other businesses.

How do I get involved?

To become a member of the Shropshire Hills Sustainable Business Scheme businesses need to:

• Email the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership on besustainable@shropshire.gov.uk to receive the sustainability appraisal and copyright agreement
• Complete the appraisal to the best of your ability - please note that not all boxes need to be filled in but we would like to see at least one box completed under each section. This should be done by the proprietor or manager of the business. We can help you with this if you wish.
• Sign and date the agreement
• Post these documents back to us with your annual fee of £25* to The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury Road, Craven Arms. SY7 9NZ.
• If you are in another scheme please send a copy of the agreement/ accreditation to us with your pledge.
• We will then decide whether your application can be accepted and, if so, summarise the appraisal on a pledge and email a pdf to you to check. Once you are happy it is correct we will print off an A3 copy and post it back to you, along with a signed copy of the copyright agreement.  The date will be the end of the month we receive the pledge and membership will be valid for 12 months from that date. We will also send you the Sustainable Business toolkit, poster, window sticker, sign, leaflets and a pdf file of the "buy local- be sustainable" stamp.
• Display both the pledge and chart where your customers can see them. Keep the full checklist in the Sustainable Business Toolkit.
• Attend at least two of the events, workshops and visits recommended by the scheme every year.
• Be committed to becoming more sustainable in the future-appraisals will be compared with the previous years to ensure businesses are progressing.
• We will remind you when your membership is due for renewal.

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership will not renew membership if these criteria are not met and may revoke membership where necessary.

*Free for the first 12 months if you join before end October 2008.