Vast majority of small business have taken steps to reduce carbon footprint
A survey of 1,000 SME business owners and decision makers has revealed that 98 per cent of SMEs who have taken steps to reduce their environmental impact have seen benefits to their business.
According to the survey by Bristol Ecologi over three quarters of all SMES were also in agreement that having an environmental strategy is good for business
One in three plan to increase investment in sustainability over the next two years, while a fifth plan to make going green a core business strategy this year.
However, while SMEs know that becoming sustainable will bring dividends to their business, the survey suggests that many are uncertain about how they can set and achieve environmental targets such as net-zero.
A quarter of SMEs reported that the economic downturn is having a negative impact on their organisation’s environmental commitments, with more than a third saying financial constraints were having a negative impact on their organisation’s environmental commitments.
Elliot Coad, chief executive and Co-Founder of Ecologi said: “It’s encouraging to see a number of business leaders making climate action a priority this year, despite tough economic circumstances.
“But they aren’t being driven solely by a sense of moral obligation. There is also a strong business case for being more environmentally sustainable, from futureproofing your business to improving employee loyalty and motivation.
“Small businesses are showing the desire to do business better, and we must give them all the support they need not just to set accurate targets for their net-zero journey, but also to grow.”
Julia Groves, Managing Director – ESG, British Business Bank, said: “The British Business Bank’s mission is to drive sustainable growth and prosperity across the UK, and to enable the transition to a net zero economy. We know that while smaller businesses in the UK can play a crucial role in driving change to achieve that outcome, becoming more environmentally sustainable can present them with both challenges and opportunities.
“The finding that 98 per cent of smaller businesses which have taken steps to reduce their environmental impact saw benefits to their business shows that such measures are well worth undertaking.
“For those about to start on this journey, there is more support available for smaller businesses than ever before to help create and manage sustainability goals, and tools such as Ecologi’s Zero, can help make the transition to net zero a more realistic possibility.”
