Prepare your business to tender for contracts

When preparing your business for tender, consider your environmental practice. 

All businesses must ensure their activities are not harmful to the environment. Companies offering contracts often want to work with a business who is committed to environmental protection. Strong environmental policies can give your business the edge when competing for contracts.

Assessing your current performance

Environmental law and standards change over time. You should review your policies often and check the latest rules.

Assessing your current performance is key to setting goals for improvement. See carry out an environmental review of your business.

Implementing change

Putting good systems in place can improve your environmental performance:

• An environmental policy shows that you responsibly manage environmental impacts. See write an environmental policy.
• Setting up an environmental management system can boost efficiency. It helps you monitor progress and meet legal duties. See set up an environmental management system (EMS).

Reviewing and refining your business processes can lead to new markets. This can improve your bottom line. You may be able to build new business relationships and supply chains while reducing your environmental impact. 

Working closely with supply chain partners to improve environmental compliance can benefit everyone. See supply chain efficiency.

Contractors in construction care more about the environment. Find out how to use resources efficiently in construction and building trades.

Business benefits of environmental responsibility

Being environmentally and socially responsible brings benefits to:

• your business
• staff
• customers
• stakeholders
• the wider environment

If your business is setting a good example, you should consider spreading the message to others. Making your business attractive to customers and buyers can open new opportunities. It can improve stakeholder relationships.

Showing that your business cares about the environment may attract new customers. See 
See market your environmental credentials.

Find out how to build a reputation as a responsible business with our guide on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Environmental regimes outside Northern Ireland

European Union law is harmonising areas such as environmental law across the EU. Understanding local differences can be crucial to winning contract work outside Northern Ireland.

Find sources of local environmental information:

• the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the agency for the Republic of Ireland
• if you are a service business looking to operate in another EU country, you should consult the EU Commission Points of Single Contact