As part of our ongoing commitment to help save the world from climate catastrophe, we’ve recently introduced our Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP). Here we look at why it’s so important and how we’re playing our part in this vital mitigation policy.
Why do we need to reduce carbon?
The UK is one of the countries most vividly responsible for climate change – our part in it began in the Industrial Revolution but continues today through imported goods and international air travel. We also emit carbon through burning fossil fuels for energy, in the production of our food, in all forms of travel except renewably-charged electric cars, in the way we build new homes and heat older ones, in our industrial processes, and in the UK’s financial sector (which, if it was a country, would have the 9th largest emissions globally).
Increasingly we’re seeing the results of climate change in our everyday lives – the cost of living is rising due to high gas prices, and food prices have gone up due to floods and droughts caused by a change in the climate. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent causing ill health and putting further strain on the NHS. Floods seem to be commonplace these days, impacting homes and businesses with devastating effects and costing over £2.2 billion every year. Droughts, which impact farming, lead to water shortages and increase the likelihood of wildfires, are growing in number every year. And finally, with rising sea levels, we’re seeing coastal communities impacted, millions of pounds in tourism lost and a damaged agriculture sector.
The good news is that the UK is the first major economy to halve its carbon emissions, and the second quarter of 2024 saw renewables being responsible for 51.6% of electricity generation.
The bad news is that it’s still not enough.
As individuals, we can play an important part by thinking about our travel choices, improving energy efficiency in our homes and cutting back on meat in our diets, as well as remembering to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle as much as we can.
However, as businesses, we can collectively do so much more.
What are we doing?
We’ve launched our Carbon Reduction Plan which sets out our goals to reduce carbon emissions across our operations by integrating energy-efficient practices and leveraging technology to minimise our environmental impact.
Our ambitious plan commits us to achieving Net Zero by 2040 through adopting energy-efficient technologies and making full use of the resources we already have so that we can future-proof our business while making a positive environmental change to our wider community.
Our emissions reduction targets include:
Business travel – we aim to reduce emissions from business travel by 75% by 2040 through increasing the use of virtual meetings and low-carbon travel when necessary.
Hotel stays – we aim to reduce emissions from hotel stays by 70% by 2040 by staying in eco-friendly hotels.
Working From Home – we aim to decrease our WFH emissions by 25% by 2030 by using energy-efficient practices and engaging with our employees.
Employee training – we’ll engage with our employees by raising their awareness of carbon footprints, energy efficiency and waste reduction, and by implementing a range of incentives designed to encourage environmentally-friendly behaviours both at home and at work.
Supply chain – we’ll work with our suppliers to assess and reduce their carbon footprints and set sustainability criteria so we can prioritise those who are working towards our common goal of carbon reduction.
Regular monitoring and transparent reporting will ensure that we stay on track towards this ambitious goal.
Together, these initiatives will reinforce Brighter Consultancy's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, fostering a culture of sustainability within the organisation and extending these values throughout our operations and partnerships.
For a more detailed explanation of how we aim to achieve our Carbon Reduction Plan as well as the facts and figures behind our ambitions, read our policy in full.
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