Empowering business to
grow the circular economy

More than 99% of London’s businesses are small or medium-sized (SMEs), so ReLondon’s work with them is a critical part of making change happen in the capital.

ReLondon works with a diverse portfolio of smaller businesses, innovators and start-ups, and they are both a vital cog in London’s economy and a critical player in helping to make wholesale system change. Our business transformation team helps businesses adopt or scale circular business models, and in 2022-23 they gave direct support to 119 businesses, providing 883 hours of advice, training and brokerage.

While the core team was funded through the European Regional Development Fund, a contract with the London Borough of Islington also allowed them to disburse £140,000 of grants to 23 businesses in the borough, to trial and scale new circular products or services.

The final assessment of the ERDF-funded business transformation programme showed that 94% of SMEs believed the team had provided skilled and professional advice which helped them overcome barriers to growth and explore new ideas, products and services. More importantly, the programme led to net job creation and a sizeable contribution to London’s economy (GVA); as well as a significant reduction in waste and carbon emissions and an increase in recycling.