The Business Sustainability team

The Business Sustainability Team help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and prepare for the impact of climate change.

The Business Sustainability Team are people with a passion for environmental sustainability to help businesses in West Yorkshire tackle climate change.

West Yorkshire has committed to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038 but with our SME businesses currently producing nearly 50% of our region’s carbon emissions, we can't achieve net zero until our SMEs become more sustainable.

Meet Kelly, Service Manager within the Business Sustainability Team

 

Hear from Kelly, Service Manager (Business Sustainability) at the Combined Authority.

Kelly talks to us about her role and how much she enjoys being part of a friendly team. She also tells us that the employee benefits we offer at the Combined Authority, such as the MCard (providing free travel across West Yorkshire on bus and rail all year round) and flexible working, really suit her work-life balance. 

Meet Emma, Programme Support Officer

Here is what Emma told us about her role within the Business Sustainability team at the Combined Authority:

"Joining the Business Sustainability team has been a highly rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally.

“In the last three years, I have been involved in the key stages of programme delivery; providing operational and administrative support to the team. A strong sense of teamwork, great work-life balance, and a collaborative approach to deliver projects are the things I enjoy most about work at the Combined Authority.

“It is an exciting time to be joining the Business Sustainability team as it enters a new chapter, providing extended support to help more SME businesses improve their environmental performance.”  

Meet Jake, Jim & Nick: Business Sustainability Managers

What does your role entail?

Jake: “My role is to work closely alongside businesses to help them better understand ways in which they can operate more sustainably, become more energy efficient, and save money on their bills.”

What do you like most about your role?

Nick: “Regularly visiting businesses means my work remains varied – we help loads of different sectors so it’s interesting to discover what they do. There’s a real job satisfaction that comes with helping our region become more sustainable. The landscape of sustainability is always changing, so I always feel like I’m learning in the role.”

What is your background and career path?

Jim: “I started off 20 years ago in a not-for-profit organisation and am largely self-taught, learning on the job by researching as much as I could through organisations such as the Carbon Trust and undertaking courses on topics like environmental management and carbon footprinting.” 

What do you like about working at the Combined Authority?

Jake: “The Combined Authority has a positive approach to flexible working and offering staff the opportunity to work in a balanced way to suit each individual. In business support there is a genuine drive to deliver programmes that help organisations across the region to grow in a sustainable and responsible way.”

Why should you join our team?

Nick: “I’ve been at the Combined Authority for two years and honestly enjoy the work that I do. Particularly working in sustainability, I’m able to learn in my role and feel like I’m contributing something valuable to make the region I live in a better place. The other team members are good fun and supportive, so it’s a great place to work.”

More stories from staff at WYCA

Read more employee testimonials from some of our colleagues in other teams across the Combined Authority and find out more about working life by visiting the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Vercida platform and the Life at WYCA page.