SMALL businesses in the North-west are focusing on growth and employment at the expense of the environment, according to a new survey.

Nearly three-quarters of businesses questioned in a survey by Sustainability Northwest said they didn't feel their business added anything to the general quality of life in their community. But figures from Action for Sustainability (AFS), the Government's regional environmental strategy, show that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute 70 per cent of environmental impact through waste, energy and noise.

The survey results also showed that almost 50 per cent of businesses failed to connect environmental quality with business benefit. Growth and employment were their overriding concern, with over 70 per cent of respondents wanting greater access and use of local goods and services.

Erik Bichard, chief executive of Sustainability Northwest, said: "The survey clearly shows that small companies don't recognise the link between business success and regional sustainability. Social and environmental issues do affect the bottom line and we have to do more to get that across."

Derek Bowden, chairman of the AFS management board at the North West Regional Assembly (NWRA), said there was a lot of work to do to engage SMEs in the sustainability process.

"There are over 120 public sector programmes providing environmental assistance to small businesses in the North-west and we are pleased that some of the key sustainability issues are being raised.

"But SMEs contribute the majority of environmental impact and we have to do more at a practical level to help them improve their environmental and social performance."

The NWRA and the Northwest Development Agency commissioned Sustainability Northwest to carry out the survey to find out how best to help small businesses meet growing demands for higher environmental and social standards from central government and consumers.