Small and medium-sized businesses account for nearly half of UK business emissions, putting them on par with larger corporations that have already begun to make the necessary plans and changes to reduce their environmental impact.
However, in the journey to net zero, SMEs face a very different challenge than large corporations. Here are some of the issues;
Restricted by a lack of funds
Strict tenancy agreements
No access to critical technology
Even if they are adamant about making a change, many small business owners simply do not have the information, skills, or resources to establish more sustainable businesses.
Only a small portion of UK SMEs have verified their carbon emissions in the past five years or are even aware of their carbon footprint.
What to expect from COP27
In the months leading up to the COP26 climate conference, which was held in Glasgow last year, net zero dominated news stories and gained traction.
But much has happened since then, including rising interest rates, soaring energy prices, and inflation.
Over the course of the two-week gathering, world leaders will talk about everything from new initiatives to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius to how to finance their emission-reduction goals.
Why should SMEs focus on becoming more sustainable?
For SMEs, committing to the net zero target sooner rather than later has enormous advantages. A company can cut costs and save money by reducing their carbon footprint, which can also help them save on their power bills, travel expenses, and materials that are eventually thrown away.
Going paperless, switching to renewable energy sources, and reevaluating employee commute times are all excellent first measures a company may take to achieve net zero.
Additionally, consumers are becoming more and more insistent on seeing evidence that companies are making an effort to operate sustainably and environmentally.
Being committed to minimising their influence on the environment is now a key value for a rising number of customers, particularly among the millennial and Gen Z generations. By demonstrating sustainable actions, you can potentially attract far more customers to your business
Are there other support in this area for UK SMEs?
The Business Green Recovery Scheme was recently launched by Warwickshire County Council as part of their commitment to helping businesses transition to a decarbonization goal for Warwickshire. This programme supports business growth and recovery.
This new programme, which is a component of Warwickshire County Council's comprehensive Covid-19 recovery and investment programmes to help local economic recovery, will provide £300,000 in decarbonizing incentives for Warwickshire businesses.
Please get in touch with their business advisors at for further details on the advice or application procedure at business@warwickshire.gov.uk
Place Zero Programme
We are committed to committed to contribute to this global initiative by ensuring that we are practicing methods to maintain carbon neutrality but also provide essential support and tools to SMEs throughout the UK.
We understand that many are choosing survivability over sustainability during these times of volatility, but we must reiterate that making better sustainable choices can greatly affect your business practices and help you significantly reduce your costs.
For more information, visit our sustainability page here.
If you are interested in our Place Zero Programme, please get in touch with our team at info@placesupportpartnershop.com.