Tuesday 9 October 2018

Almost two-thirds of top executives ‘haven’t set carbon emissions target’

Almost two-thirds of top executives ‘haven’t set carbon emissions target’

Around 61% of top business executives and energy managers have not set targets to reduce their carbon emissions.

That’s despite 73% of 848 C-suite executives and energy managers ranking sustainability as being “very important” for their organisation, according to a new survey.

Among the respondents with an energy spend of more than £2 million a year, around 45% believe the condition of their buildings is “just OK or poor” in terms of energy efficiency.

The survey, commissioned by Veolia UK, highlights the importance of businesses developing robust long term energy efficiency plans with the impact of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), in addition to government plans requiring them to report their CO2 emissions from 2018.

Nick Painter, Head of Energy Efficiency at Veolia UK said: “Building efficiency plays a significant role in improving productivity, yet this latest research backs our experience that sustainability aims are not always matched by action. We know that real benefits come from adopting a site-wide approach and going beyond small retrofits such as LED lighting.

“Under-investment, both financial and time-relates, is leaving a yawning gap between the ideals of the corporate sustainability policy and the reality on the ground. We hope this report acts as a wake-up call for business and spurs quantifiable improvement that move the debate beyond words and into action. More importantly, businesses are missing out on significant cost savings as energy prices continue to rise – savings that will make a positive impact on their bottom line and their CR reports.”

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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