Lower costs, better growth, more engaged employees: why getting on the path to Net Zero is good for your business
Many businesses start their journey towards Net Zero with a focus on cutting energy costs – but Ash Wray, director of Hull-based sustainability consultancy C3 Group says the benefits go much further. We talked to him about the business opportunities that can be unlocked by reducing your carbon footprint.
“It’s not surprising that many organisations are driven to take their first steps towards Net Zero by the desire to reduce their energy costs, especially given the huge increase in gas and electricity prices we’ve seen over the past couple of years,” Ash said.
“In our experience, it’s the main driver for around 70 per cent of businesses when they start to look at their energy efficiency – and the good news is most of them can achieve substantial savings very quickly and easily just by having someone look at their premises and operations with fresh eyes.”
Some organisations that are yet to make progress towards Net Zero may feel they lack the skills and knowledge, funding or time to take action – but, as Ash explains, simple steps can lead to impressive outcomes.
“Installing meters to monitor and gather reliable data on energy is the first step in making informed decisions, and the quick wins identified can typically lead to around a 20 per cent saving on energy bills,” Ash continued.
“An initial independent assessment of your premises can unlock energy savings through relatively low-cost improvements, such as better insulation or double glazing windows.
“These savings can then be invested in more energy-efficient lighting or heating, or in renewable energy sources if that’s the best solution for you.”
But Ash says there are compelling reasons to focus on sustainability in your organisation that go beyond cost savings.
“Managing carbon emissions and putting in place plans to achieve Net Zero will also help many businesses address some of the most common challenges they face, from achieving growth to attracting and retaining employees and complying with government and industry regulations,” he said.
“Increasingly, large firms and public sector organisations are seeking to reduce their overall carbon footprint by choosing suppliers that are actively taking steps to cut their own emissions. Smaller businesses that can demonstrate they’re working to a carbon reduction or Net Zero plan will have an advantage when it comes to tendering for and winning new business from these organisations.
“Unlocking this growth potential is a big benefit of acting on Net Zero now. And it benefits not just your business but the region more generally – more growth means better quality, better paid jobs, which in turn means more money circulating in the local economy and yet more jobs for local people.”
A further advantage of taking action towards Net Zero is the ability to attract and retain employees, with a number of studies* conducted over recent years finding that young people in particular want to work for employers that embrace sustainability.
Earlier this year the Office of National Statistics reported that more than eight in ten adults (86.5%) say they have made at least some changes to their lifestyle to help tackle environmental issues – so it’s perhaps not surprising that they expect the organisations they work for to do their bit too.
Ash concluded: “If you haven’t yet started developing a Net Zero plan, the most important thing you can do is act now. Reducing your carbon footprint is good for your business, good for your employees, good for our communities and good for the future of our region.”
Oh Yes! Net Zero member C3 Group provides sustainability consulting to businesses around the UK. Based in Hull, it specialises in sustainable energy solutions and creating Net Zero strategies, working closely with clients to reduce costs and emissions while helping them achieve their Net Zero targets.
* KPMG, 2023; IBM, 2022; PwC, 2021