Smart Green Business support for Sydney SMEs

Whether you are an office tenant in the Sydney CBD or you own your own business space in the harbour city, you might be wondering how to make your company greener - and boost your bottom line.

With small businesses facing an average annual increase of $439 to their electricity bills from the beginning of the 2013 financial year, according to a draft report from the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, many organisations are looking for ways to cut costs.

The City of Sydney recommends that businesses in the harbour city seek out expert help when it comes to their power bills and consult the Smart Green Business program, which is operated by the local authority in partnership with the City Switch program for office tenants and the state government.

Taking green measures at work has plenty of benefits for small businesses in addition to saving money - eco-friendly businesses often also benefit from the boost to their reputation with existing and new customers.

There are simple ways to start saving energy immediately, according to City of Sydney manager of sustainability programs Tom Belsham.

By taking "simple actions" - such as turning computers off in the evening rather than leaving them on standby - businesses could benefit from reduced power bills.