In 2006 the city council, together with other public, private and social enterprise organisations and networks, set up the Bristol Environmental Technologies and Services (BETS) initiative, with the aim of nurturing and developing the city and region's vibrant green economy. Jobs in the Environment Technology Sector (ETS) in the Bristol area have increased in recent years, with a rise of around 32% between 1995 and 2005 to about 6,400.

Bristol is emerging as one of the leading centres in the UK for the development of environmental technologies, with around 400 companies across the region. As this website demonstrates, Bristol-based companies are pioneers in:

· renewable energy
· waste management
· recycling
· pollution control
· sustainable transport
· environmental consultancy

The main aims of BETS are to encourage and facilitate networking and cooperation projects within the sector for business innovation and growth, to harness the strengths and achievements of the sector for the wider marketing and promotion of Bristol for investment and regeneration, and to raise the public profile and promote the BETS sector on a local, national and international scale.

Last year the city hosted the first BETS Expo, which attracted 300 delegates from across the South West. The Sustainable Business in Practice Expo 2009 promises to be the largest business-to-business conference and exhibition ever staged in the South West, focused on profitable sustainable businesses development during the current challenging economic climate.

The underlying principle is the one that has made the Centre for Sustainable Energy such a success: businesses, whether SMEs or corporations, that enhance their environmental performance are likely to have lower overheads and bigger profits.

Meanwhile, BETS is proving a valuable resource to new and established companies. In a recent development the University of Bristol has set up the Bristol Technologies for the Environment (BRITE) Futures Institute, a multi-disciplinary research hub dedicated to environmental systems and technologies.
BRITE will encourage collaborative research and teaching between University departments, industry, charities, government and other academic institutions, while also promoting entrepreneurial activity and public engagement.