Individuals, communities and organisations have become more aware of the role we all have to play in responding to the climate crisis than ever before.
Thousands of businesses have already started to make Net Zero pledges. However, UK businesses of all shapes and sizes will need to commit to carbon reduction if the government is going to reach its goal of Net Zero by 2050.
It can be confusing knowing what steps your business should take on the journey to Net Zero, which is why we have set out a road map to help guide you on your way.
1. Understanding Net Zero – what does it mean for your organisation?
The first step to a Net Zero organisation is understanding what the term means, and more specifically what it means for your industry and priorities as a business.
Our Net Zero Consultants can help break through the jargon to help you truly understand climate change, it’s impacts and how your business could operate in a low carbon society.
Once you understand exactly how your operations impact the environment, you can you start to make pledges, set targets and start to develop effective strategies.
Services we offer that can help with this stage, include:
- Carbon Footprinting
- Strategic Consultancy
- Environmental Audits
2. Engage your workforce – knowledge is power!
Now you know your businesses environmental impact, and you want to make positive change, but what about the rest of the business? Are they on board with your mission?
The Net Zero journey is not one that can be tackled alone, it requires collaboration from a range of stakeholders, including your workforce. Engaging with your employees and increasing awareness is an essential part of your journey to Net Zero. Once they understand they will be better equipped to suggest operational improvements and solutions for the business to reach Net Zero.
The level of commitment and involvement from employees will determine the effectiveness of any strategies that are developed. This buy in from your workforce will make it easier and more effective to implement a strategy.
Services we offer that can help with this stage, include:
- Carbon Literacy
- Bespoke Environmental Training
- Engagement Sessions
3. Implement a strategy – operation Net Zero
The strategies that need to be introduced to reach Net Zero will be bespoke to each business, depending on the current operational processes in place. Our Net Zero consultants can offer advice on different solutions to reach your goals from changing suppliers to energy management.
If your business is already in the process of implementing your Net Zero strategy there’s still more you can do. You can make a further difference by influencing others and helping them to get started on their Net Zero journey by sharing your learnings to date.
For example, by engaging with your supply chain it could help you reach your own targets, help them reach theirs and also play a part in building resilience for the future.
Sharing success stories on your journey to Net Zero can be a great tool to help you grow your business and help attract the best talent to your workforce.
Services we offer that can help with this stage, include:
- Environmental Accreditation
- Benchmarking & Ongoing Review
- Community Engagement
Can you afford to do this? Can you afford not to?
It can be simple and cost effective to transition to more sustainable business practices on the Net Zero journey. However, failing to adapt to our changing climate and keep up with industry peers could come at a greater cost for businesses in the years to come.
We understand the challenges that businesses face in becoming more sustainable and that everyone’s priorities are different and change over time. We develop relationships with our clients so we can really understand their goals and apply our expertise to help reach them.
As an environmental charity, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Providing sustainable consultancy services to businesses allows us to reinvest everything back in to our local communities and youth and employment programmes.
This circular approach will play an important role if we are to achieve a Net Zero society by 2050.
