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Drought and Wildfires – Practical Advice for Businesses

Following the current ongoing drought and wildfire events in Suffolk, this month’s sustainability blog has been put together to signpost businesses to sites that can offer practical advice around how to mitigate future droughts and wildfires and what to do in the event that they are affected.

You can keep up to date with all emergency preparations in Suffolk here

Drought

All Businesses

Preparing for Drought: Practical Advice for Businesses

Building Water Resilience: How UK Businesses Can Respond to Drought Risk

Save water and reduce your carbon footprint – UK Business Climate Hub

Dry weather information and advice – NFUonline

Drought: Improving Resilience for Your Business

Drought and water availability – GOV.UK

How to save water | Waterwise

Use the template below to create a Water Efficiency Management Plan – This will help to track you water usage over a long period of time and identify areas of concern and help you more effectively manage and reduce water usage.

Water Efficiency Management Plan – Template

Farming and Land Management

Extreme weather guidance for farmers and land managers – GOV.UK

environment-and-climate-change.pdf

Staying safe during drought

Public health impact of drought: advice for the public – GOV.UK

WWS – Homepage | Waters Worth Saving UK

Wildfires

Wildfires – Prepare

Prepare and Protect Against Wildfires – NFCC

Wildfire Prevention Advice – NFCC

Protecting your Business from Wildfires | Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

New campaign urges public to help prevent wildfires this summer – Suffolk County Council

Fire safety for farmers and rural businesses – Suffolk County Council

NFU calls for action to minimise wildfire risk as temperatures soar – NFUonline

Wildfires UK: Causes, risks and why they’re increasing

Wildfire insurance | Apex Insurance Brokers Wiki

Fire safety for small businesses operating from commercial premises – GOV.UK

Bees Needs Week – July 2026

Taking place from 13th to 19th July, Bees Needs Week forms part of the governments umbrella campaign Wild Again: Restoring England’s Wildlife. The objective of the campaign is to improve conditions for the recovery of native species and habitats.

Bees and other pollinators such as moths, hoverflies and butterflies play a vital role in the food production cycle and without them many species wouldn’t survive, including humans.

The scale of the problem requires us all to do our part to support these little creatures that we rely on. To date:

Half of our bumblebee species are in decline
Three of UK bumblebee species have already gone extinct
Seven bumblebee species have declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years
Two-thirds of our moths and 71% of our butterflies are in longtime decline.(1)

So, what’s causing this decline and what can you do?

There are a number of reasons for the decline in pollinator numbers and they tend to be related. The reduction of wildflower habitats due to agriculture and urban development coupled with increased pesticide use and intense mowing regimes over the past 70 years has formed a wildlife illiteracy which needs to be reversed.

In addition these actions have contributed to accelerated man made climate change which has created extreme weather events that are also harmful to pollinators. This has created a somewhat vicious cycle.

All of which may seem like a bleak and irredeemable situation, but there are plenty of actions that we can all do to play our part in helping our pollinators recover. And there’s no better time to start than Bees Needs Week.

Here are 5 simple actions that anyone can take to help pollinators:

Grow more nectar rich flowers, shrubs and trees. Using window or balcony boxes are good options if you do not have a garden.
Let patches of garden and land grow wild.
Cut grass less often and not at all during May when pollinator larvae are at their most vulnerable.
Do not disturb insect nests and hibernation spots.
Think carefully about whether to use pesticides.(2)

Why not download the Bees Needs Week promotional pack and hold your own Bees Needs Week event in your workplace or have a volunteer day with an activity such as:

bug hunts
flower-insect timed counts (FIT Counts)
community gardening sessions
making bug hotels or wildflower bombs(2)

FIT counts are invaluable citizen science and require just 10 minutes watching flowers and insects, they can be carried our any time between April and September in good weather. Submitting a FIT count to The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (POMS) contributes to better more meaningful data and knowledge of how pollinator numbers are changing. If you are interested in holding a FIT count with your workplace you can read more here.

DEFRA will also be hosting a series of events in London for anyone to join including:

13 July – Pollinating London Together’s annual pollinator count in London.

13 July – Pollinating London Together’s evening session, an in-person event exploring how data can drive effective action to protect pollinators in urban environments like the Square Mile and central London – tickets are free but you must prebook your place.

14 July – Bees’ Needs Science Festival at RHS Garden Wisley in collaboration with Defra, Bees’ Needs Week celebrates the importance of bees and other pollinators.
- - discover exciting stands from the RHS Science team and a host of organisations, including Pollinating London Together, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, University of Surrey, Surrey Wildlife Trust and Surrey Nature Partnership
- - hear from experts sharing insights and tips on bees and other pollinators
- - enjoy honey tasting with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew pollinator research team
- - take guided tours with garden staff to see pollinator-friendly features and planting at RHS Wisley
- - join sessions throughout the day with members of the Pollinator Monitoring Scheme

19 July – pollinator-related engagement activities and an educational stand at Kew Gardens

For more information and ideas about how you can help pollinators take a look at:

Pollinators – Buglife

The B-Lines Garden – Buglife

Pollinator Guidance – Buglife

1.Pollinators – Buglife

2.Bees’ Needs Week – GOV.UK

National Clean Air Day – June

National Clean Air Day falls on Thursday 18^th June 2026 and brings together local authorities, schools, healthcare providers and employers to raise awareness of the health impacts of air pollution and create an agenda for improved air quality. Initiated in 2017 with Global Action Plan and supported by DEFRA, the campaign is now a firm fixture for environmental days in the UK.

Why do have a Clean Air Day?

National Clean Air Day began in 2017 to focus on informing people about air pollution, and how to reduce exposure. Clean Air Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the impacts on air quality from burning fossil fuels and how that directly impacts people’s health. Many climate change initiatives rightly focus on the planet overall, but it is important to understand the detrimental effects on health is also a direct consequence.

Air pollution has long been understood to be detrimental to health. Many people understand it’s associations with asthma and lung disease, but it is also linked to a variety of other health issues, including dementia, heart disease, stroke and stunted lung development in children. Public Health England has estimated that poor air quality is associated with up to 43,000 premature deaths in the UK per year.

Although progress has been made to improve air quality by reducing specific pollutants, air quality in the UK still regularly exceeds the World Health Organisation 2021 guidelines.

The effects can be so detrimental that Defra have created the below recommended health advice based on the pollution levels in an individuals area. This is available for the entire population and is particularly important for at risk individuals, for instance people with respiratory conditions, children, pregnant women and the elderly.

*Banding*	*Index*	*General Population*	At-risk Individuals*
*Low*	*1-3*	Enjoy your usual outdoor activities	Enjoy your usual outdoor activities
*Moderate*	*4-6*	Enjoy your usual outdoor activities	Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems who experience symptoms should consider reducing strenuous physical activity, particularly outdoors.
*High*	*7-9*	Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, cough or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors.	Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion.
*Very High*	10	Reduce physical exertion, particularly outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as cough or sore throat.	Adults and children with lung problems and older people, should avoid strenuous physical activity. People with asthma may find they need to use their reliever more often.

What is being done to improve air quality?

In 2019 the UK government launched a Clean Air Strategy, setting out plans for the sources of air pollution. This was developed upon in July 2025 with the governments 10 Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Health Plan includes the prevention strategy ‘Cleaning Up Our Air’, this policy paper includes commitments to raising awareness of the importance of reducing exposure to pollution whilst also improving things such as access to public transport, reducing indoor pollution by consulting on wood burning stoves and introducing clean air neighbourhoods using pedestrianisation and LTNs.

How can we help?

Take action to raise awareness about Clean Air Day and make a plan to improve the air quality within your business and supply chain.

Clean Air Day | Business resources

For more information see Take Action for Clean Air Day

Reducing Food Waste – April 2026

Why do we need action on food waste?

In 2018 6.5 million tonnes of food was thrown away, of that 4.5 million tonnes, was edible and worth approximately £14 billion.

70% of this wasted food came from households and 25% of that was due to too much being prepared, cooked, and served. Unnecessary and avoidable food waste costs UK households approximately £3.5 billion each year, equal to £700 a year for an average UK family. This wasted food also makes up approximately 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

How can I reduce my food waste?

There are some very easy steps you can follow to reduce how much food you throw away and help you save money

Meal planning

As well as helping you plan what food to buy and budget for it also allows you to make your food go further by planning in how to use leftovers. For example, using leftover meat or vegetables and carcass from a Sunday roast to make another meal during the week. Meal plans also allow you to consider what you already have that needs to be used up.

Easy Meal Plans is a useful resource to help you start meal planning.

Shopping lists

By creating a meal plan, shopping lists become a lot easier to make, use and budget for. If the prospect of having to keep a physical list seems too much, there are some great apps available which combine meal planning with shopping lists. You just need to check your cupboards to see what you already have in stock!

Storage

The best way to ensure your food lasts as long as it can is to make sure that you are storing it correctly. Forget the fruit bowl, most fruits last longer stored in the fridge, equally bread and sauces last longer when they are stored in a cold dry cupboard rather than a fridge. See foods you’ve been storing in the wrong place for more information.

Freezing

The cost-of-living crisis has seen more people relying on food that may already be close to an expiration date, such as yellow stickered foods. You can actually freeze most foods, including dairy, at any point up to its best before date. Freezing is a good way to store something you might not get around to eating rather than throwing it away.

Batch cooking

As well as food close to expiration date, batch cooking and freezing allows you to use larger packs of ingredients which can be more cost effective. By portioning and freezing you have easy meals available to you which won’t produce any further waste. Plus, if you are reheating using a microwave, you will also save energy!

Use it all

Whether it’s left overs or veg peelings you can make a big difference by using it all. For example, if you’re making a cauliflower cheese and don’t know what to do with the stalks and leaves, boil them up in a pan add seasoning or some cheese and blitz and you have a lovely soup. And you can freeze and use the rest another day. Leftovers can be frozen, used in lunch boxes or made into another meal altogether. There are lots of resources available to help you use it all, even the scraps. You can find all kinds of recipes for your leftovers at Love Food Hate Waste or get creative and try developing your own recipes.

What’s happening in Suffolk to help reduce food waste?

Community Fridges

Community fridges are public spaces where unused/sold food that would otherwise have been thrown away is shared within the local community. They are a great way to reduce food waste and bring communities together. Community fridges are open to everyone and there is no requirement to be in receipt of benefits to access them.

If you are interested in volunteering, donating or using your local Community Fridge you can find your local here.

Home Composting

Sometimes food waste is unavoidable, when this happens there is the option of home composting. It’s a great way to turn yourwaste into free compost for your garden. Suffolk residents can find a variety of subsidised compost bins and wormeries here.

The Big Walk and Wheel – March 2026

The Big Walk and Wheel takes place this year between 16th and 27th March.

The purpose of this event is to encourage school children and staff to use active travel such as walking, cycling and scooting for their school commute.

The objective is to promote active travel as an enjoyable option to improve air quality around their schools, increase their physical fitness and gain an understanding of small changes they can make to benefit their local environment.

Why not take advantage of this event to talk about active and sustainable travel in the workplace.

Parents of school aged children may already be aware and possibly already participating with their children. This is an opportunity to build on that momentum.

The Big Walk and Wheel site has a host of suggestions and resources which could be useful to adopt to work setting, these include suggestions such as FRideday Bike Bus. This could be easily adapted to just FRideday, a day when everyone either walks, cycles or takes public transport to work.

If you use a cycle to work scheme, why not use this event to share how the scheme works. Promote the known benefits of cycling such as:

increased metabolic rate, useful for maintaining a healthy weight
increased muscle tone, particularly good for older people as a useful way to prevent future fall risks.
Better overall fitness, with regular cyclists statistically being as fit as an average person 10 years younger.

Let’s not forget walking, you may have employees who already walk to work, why not ask them what they enjoy about their walk. Could they buddy up with other employees in their area who don’t usually walk for the week. Sharing the journey and boosting their mental and physical health at the same time.

It’s important to recognise participation, so why not create an achievable challenge for all to take part and celebrate success. Encourage employees to share their experience and work towards making it a regular or long term change.

If you don’t already have a sustainable transport policy why not use this event to look at creating one. The GHAW blog from November 2025 regarding sustainable transport is a useful starting point to think about why sustainable travel is important and what you should consider when writing a sustainable travel policy.

But most of all, have fun and get outside and active.

World Day of Social Justice – February 2026

What is World Day of Social Justice

World day of Social Justice falls on 20th February, the day is an important time to look at human rights, fairness and equality. World Social Justice Day is about encouraging schools, organisations, governments and communities to draw on social inequalities, think about their own and other’s experiences and reflect on how they can create a more inclusive and just society. Although social justice focuses on equality of access and delivery in education, employment and healthcare regardless of race, religion, gender, sexuality and socioeconomic background, this year the focus is particularly on the ‘Decent Work’ agenda.

Decent Work Agenda

The ‘Decent Work’ agenda created by International Labour Organisation as part of the UN Social Justice goals, is a comprehensive framework for understanding good work goals. Created in 2007 as a tool to work towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The decent Work agenda is composed of 4 pillars.

Standards and Rights at Work: Ensuring that all workers have access to fundamental rights, including freedom of association, the right to organise, and protection against discrimination and exploitation.
Employment Creation and Enterprise Development: Fostering job creation and supporting entrepreneurship to enhance economic growth and reduce unemployment.
Social Protection: Providing social security systems that protect workers and their families, ensuring access to healthcare, unemployment benefits, and pensions.
Social Dialogue: Encouraging communication and negotiation between employers, workers, and governments to promote fair labour practices and resolve conflicts.

Although these pillars are overarching and elevated it is possible to reduce the crux to apply to Good Health @ Work activity, particularly looking at Standard 4, Fair Pay and Secure Work.

What can you do?

So, what can you commit to for World Day of Social Justice on 20th February.

Think about what your organisation does to encourage inclusivity. Consider your existing equality policies, do they need updating?
Encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace, create an environment where everyone is respected and valued.
Are employees with disabilities encouraged to share their experiences?
How about gender equality, have you reviewed your pay scales to determine if there may be a gender pay gap?
Spend time getting to know your employees, listen to marginal voices.
Do you know what hurdles your employees face? importantly are there changes you can make to overcome those hurdles?

These activities can start the ball rolling on improved relationships and working practices, resulting in a better work environment and reduction in staff turnover. Fulfilling in part the objectives of work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace, good prospects for personal development and social integration.

Share your stories

Once you’ve decided how you are going to mark World Social Justice Day remember to share your stories on social media. This will bring attention to the day and inspire others to engage with the day.

Don’t forget your hashtags!

#WorldDayOfSocialJustice #SocialJustice #EqualityForAll #HumanRights #GenderEquality #EqualOpportunities #FairWages #SocialInclusion #FightPoverty #SocialJusticeAwareness #RespectForAll #FairnessForAll #EndInequality #GoodhealthatWork

Ambassador Network Workspace

Ambassadors are invaluable, whether that is championing GH@W or spending time mentoring SME’s and sharing their knowledge and experience, setting goals and evaluating progress. The objective for the Ambassador network is for SME’s to create a self-supporting network for the long-term economic improvement of those SME’s and the Suffolk region.

To support the growth of this network we have created the Ambassador Workspace, this uses a google platform and includes: chat and video call functions which SME’s can use for free to communicate with each other, either 1to1 for peer mentoring or by creating topic specific forums, FAQ’s or just to chat with other businesses to network and support each other. We also have the Ambassador Site available which has information about being an ambassador, peer mentor and a training page with a growing range of free online training available. The Ambassador site is also great for sharing success stories, case studies and just generally shouting about how great our SME’s are.

If you would like to join the Ambassador Network Get In Touch