Laois event offered the means to seize digital technologies and green transition opportunity

Businesses in the Midlands explored how the transition to a low carbon economy and the increased use of digital technologies can help their business at an event in the Midland Park Hotel, Portlaoise.

A number of State agencies attended and offered practical advice as well as outlining the range of supports available, including grants and loans, to help businesses on their green journey and to enhance their use of digital technology.

The Building Better Business event was hosted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and was open to business in the Midlands region, namely counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath. It was the second in a series of regional events to be staged throughout the country during this year following the inaugural event in Letterkenny last month.

A key element of the Building Better Business event were stands featuring agencies and organisations including Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, IDA, Microfinance Ireland, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Skillnet Ireland, Intertrade Ireland, Pobal, Midland Regional Skills and the ATIM Cluster.

They advised attendees on how businesses could lower their running costs by implementing energy efficiency measures, unlock new opportunities and create new green jobs, raise finance and learn how to win new business as large businesses and public sector organisations increasingly require suppliers to be more sustainable.

Staff were also available to demonstrate the Government’s Climate Toolkit 4 Business, a user friendly tool which will estimate your business’s carbon footprint and suggest actions and supports to help reduce it

Advice given on how digital transformation can help business in a range of ways including laying the ground for future growth, making more productive use of time and resources, expanding markets, increasing sales, enabling better customer engagement and better use of data to inform strategy as well as improving security.

Building Better Business included panel discussions featuring businesses from all four counties who will be talking about the practical actions they have taken to improve their business’s bottom line. Experts gave insights into how businesses can grow and prosper by embracing the opportunities presented by transitioning to a low carbon economy and digital transformation.

Building Better Business also featured an update on the Midland Regional Enterprise Plan by its Chair, Dr Anne Cusack, who outlined the progress of the Plan and its impact in the areas of digital transformation and the transition to a low carbon economy.

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The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney as did the Minister of State at the Department, Dara Calleary attended the event held on Thursday, April 27.