Where Are You on the ‘Net Zero’ Journey?

One of the key findings in a recent report by the British Business Bank (BBB – the government’s economic development bank) was that ‘smaller businesses account for around half of total greenhouse gas emissions from UK businesses’.

The report identified that the attitudes of respondents to the Opinium survey of 1,000 senior decision makers in smaller businesses to becoming net zero could be categorised into one of the following four ‘personas’:

The BBB report explains these personas

Carbon Nimble (38% of the smaller business population) and Carbon Complacent (34%) firms are more likely to be in the services sector, to be smaller in size and to have lower emissions, but the carbon nimble firms typically show high transition maturity and a proactive attitude to emissions reduction, while carbon complacent firms are more likely to have a low transition maturity and to not treat emissions as a priority.

Carbon Correcting (9% of the smaller business population) and Carbon Exposed (18%) firms are more likely to operate in primary industry, transport or commerce sectors, to have higher emissions and be larger in size (within the smaller business spectrum), but carbon correcting firms show a higher transition maturity and a more proactive attitude than carbon exposed firms.

The report goes on to say that businesses have cited numerous factors as barriers to action including cost and feasibility, but action could be encouraged with additional information, tax breaks, external finance (including grants) and clearer standards and regulations.

Want to find out more about the report?

https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/press-release/majority-of-smallerbusinesses-dont-understand-carbonjargon-new-british-business-bankresearch-reveals/

https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/research/smaller-businesses-andthe-transition-to-net-zero/