Apr 11, 2022 | Conal Love
Net Zero has been a huge area of discussion since it was signed into UK law in June 2019, with the government requiring emissions to be brought to net zero by 2050 compared with 1990 levels
With the commitment now in legal binding, private sector companies must ensure they are net zero by 2050.
Businesses moved quickly post-commitment to make net-zero pledges, with now 70 of the FTSE100 committed to net zero, and globally as of March 2021 more than 2,000 companies had committed to the UNFCCC’s net zero ambitions.
As a reader who is just getting started, you may be wondering what exactly net zero is, and what companies are committing to.
Put simply, net zero occurs when we balance the amount of carbon emissions outputted to the atmosphere with the amount that are removed. Think of it like a scale, as we output emissions, we must find ways to reduce the amount already existing, which is achieved through carbon sequestration. If we add more than we remove, the scales will fall out of balance.
Now you’ll probably be thinking, “well, let’s just plant a load of trees – they’re great at absorbing carbon!”, but the reason why that’s not a sufficient fix is a blog and discussion for another day.
For now, let’s focus on how you can play your part in getting your organisation started on the road to net zero, by implementing mitigation strategies that will help you minimise emissions in your operation.
1. Education and skills are key
With any emerging area of business, education and training for staff is paramount to success. Additionally, recruitment and investing in talent that will help drive understanding and workplace culture is a good place to start.
In the UK, sustainability focused roles saw a 12% increase in the last year, whilst the green economy could create 24 million new jobs globally.
In your organisation, if you do not have a sustainability lead in place, now may be a good time to get one. Moreover, investing in carbon literacy training so the whole workplace understands the justification behind the green economy can drive staff engagement with climate-initiatives.
For business, it’s important to understand that this is not wishy-washy waffle, but a real commercial opportunity that needs to be prioritised.
2. Understand your company baseline with a carbon inventory
We’ve written before about establishing a carbon inventory, and how crucial understanding baselines is to ensure you can achieve net zero.
How can you promise to reach net zero by a certain year if you do not know where you are now?
At this stage, start looking at your scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions. Identify the impact points across your operation. Invest in technology that helps you account for carbon, measuring outputs throughout so you can truly understand where your business is today.
Getting a full picture may take a while, but with accurate reporting and measurement.
With a clearer picture established, you’ll be able to identify what is realistic, scrutinise planned goals and finalise commitments for net zero that are achievable.
3. Guidelines you may want to consider
With a sustainability lead in place, and your baseline understood, you may start to look at the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) and guidelines such as PPN 06/21.
Whilst not completely required, these initiatives can help you drive a science-based approach to carbon reduction, and ensure you also align with public procurement requirements.
What is important however is to develop a company-wide strategy that aligns with your firm’s ethos, purpose, and vision. Guidelines are out there but achieving net zero is a specific challenge that will be resolved by each firm’s own strategy – there is no one size fits all approach.
If you’re struggling at this stage, feel free to drop us an e-mail at [email protected] and we can sign-post or offer strategic support where we can.
4. Measure, monitor, report.
This has kind of become our mantra here at SustainIQ. As you start any new business operation, the key to success in net zero is measuring.
Without measurement against any KPI, especially an environmental one, it’s impossible to determine how you are working toward goals, and how to identify opportunities in your operation.
By having an integrated dashboard in place (such as the one we provide at SustainIQ), you can monitor changes both at an individual site level, and across the board. Report at the touch of a button. Analyse and work to improve your performance.
Ultimately, if you correctly implement data-led approach, you’ll start to see reductions that will drive your business emissions in the right direction toward net zero.
The road to net zero is long and you’ll be faced with many challenges on your journey, but at SustainIQ, we are here to support you. Whether you are just starting out, or are well on the way, we can offer packages of support for businesses at any stage.
Get in touch with us at [email protected], and discover just how we can work together to change your world, for good.
Related blogs
Without measurement against any KPI, especially an environmental one, it’s impossible to determine how you are working toward goals, and how to identify opportunities in your operation.
By having an integrated dashboard in place (such as the one we provide at SustainIQ), you can monitor changes both at an individual site level, and across the board. Report at the touch of a button. Analyse and work to improve your performance.
Ultimately, if you correctly implement data-led approach, you’ll start to see reductions that will drive your business emissions in the right direction toward net zero.