COP26 – An Opportunity?

Whilst it may not have been a total success for all. One thing is certain, exposure and the number of people, businesses regions and countries talking about our climate emergency is positive and has been a success. It is agreed unequivocally that human-kind is the cause of climate crisis and that real, rapid action is needed to keep 1.5° alive, build a sustainable future and leave a legacy for future generations.

We are receiving many more enquiries from business who are interested in learning more and putting into place their own plans. More businesses talking about the need for sustainable collaborations, relationships and organisations is a success only if action is taken and realised to keep 1.5° alive. Board room discussions must now include sustainability and an environmental lens needs to be placed on all future business decisions for businesses to succeed.

We believe regardless of what was or was not agreed, we as the business community should see COP26 as a catalyst for opportunity and collaboration across industry.

Business must start taking serious action, we recently talked at an event and flipped the conversation on its head and asked the audience of different organisations from varying sectors;

Would your business want?

• To enhance its reputation through having sustainable products or services

• Be more resilient to future legislative changes

• Reduce your costs through becoming more efficient

• Have competitive advantage by being able to answer all tender questions

• Attract and retain the best staff – employees of tomorrow will be looking at the green credentials of businesses

Large corporate organisations have had sustainability and reducing carbon on their agenda for several years and are now looking at their supply chain for support and engagement on decarbonising their business and products. The main word we hear from many of the North Easts’ biggest employers is collaboration. Collaborating with suppliers, clients, employees, and local government will be key to driving mass adoption and having the biggest impact.

How many businesses would not want to collaborate with their biggest customers to cement their relationships and to open the doors of new opportunities, new clients?

Buildings – new tenants are looking for premises that can support their businesses net-zero ambition.

Finance – will be linked more and more to a business’s net-zero ambition.

Supply Chain – tenders require and will more widely for organisations to demonstrate their net-zero ambition to the level of providing actual carbon emissions data.

Clients – whatever your industry, product or service clients are looking at the sustainability credentials of the product.

Carbon Reporting – Regulation and legislation will come to enable the Governments net-zero 2050 ambition.

Understanding your carbon footprint, the data that sits behind many of the above decisions is an enabler, lower cost than you may think and that will in fact provide many more business benefits than any initial cost or time constraints (that will be lower than you think).

Don’t get left behind, there is a lot of support for organisations of all types, a good starting point is https://businessclimatehub.org/uk/

We support many businesses to take away the time burden, use our expertise and digital systems to provide a low cost, digital managed service that can enable your business succeed.