How Can You Achieve Net Zero and Become Carbon Neutral.
Is Your Goal to Become a Net Zero/Carbon Neutral?
As a socially responsible company you want to demonstrate to your stakeholders, including your suppliers, your clients, and your staff that you care about the environment. Your stated goal is to be Net Zero in the shortest possible time. But how will you get there?
Clearly, you need a plan which shows the steps do you need to take to achieve this. That may work, but plans have a nasty habit of going off the rails, and the associated unforeseen costs are usually unwelcome.
That’s why we encourage our clients to adopt our proven seven-point framework approach. It’s not complicated, it’s easy to automate, it’s low maintenance, and you always know what progress you have made.
1. Appoint a Climate Champion.
Ideally this will be a Board member or a senior manager, and the Champion must be seen to have the authority and the knowledge to drive the programme, including implementing any changes which may be identified along the way. The person is typically the first point of contact to all stakeholders who seek to find out what you are doing to achieve emission reductions. It is also important to articulate a consistent message, and appointing a Climate Champion has been proven to be the most effective way of achieving this outcome. As always, the key is to know your current status.
2. Calculate your current Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
Easy? Yes, if you understand where to get the data and how to use it. The best way to do that is adopt internationally recognised standards such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and ISO 14001, and this lies at the heart of our framework.
3. Determine your emission reduction strategy
It provides valuable pointers towards quick wins, whilst also informing the medium to long-term areas you can most effectively deploy your scarce resources. That should be an integral part of your overall business strategy. If it’s not, you are likely to have some interesting challenges, all of which are unnecessary, expose you to increased risk, and are an unwelcome burden on your already strained resources.
Any strategy should include a detailed risk assessment, and that assessment needs to be revised frequently to take account of market and operational changes. As such, the Climate Champion needs to form a close and effective work bond with others throughout the company, something which many companies fail to grasp.
Strategy done? No. You must, absolutely must, get stakeholders to buy in to the strategy. That is best done through on-going communication with them and listening carefully to feedback. This is a critical part of the role of the Climate Champion and why is vital that person holding that position can garner the trust and respect of his/her colleagues and other stakeholders.
The strategy should also be documented, and published on your website, to allow all stakeholders the opportunity to read, digest, and comment on the content. These critical stages are typically overlooked, resulting in confusion about the rationale underpinning the strategy, or worse still a degree of irritation amongst stakeholders who disagree with some or all of the strategy, leading to a failure to get ‘buy in’.
4. Create a detailed plan to reduce your emissions
Underpin your strategy with a detailed plan to reduce your emissions, and set clear, unambiguous target milestones. These are the detailed steps which are scheduled in the short to medium term, typically ranging from the ‘here and now’ to one year. That said, it is important to frequently review the plan, and revise it as necessary to take account of the dynamic nature of your market.
Each step of the plan should be assigned to a specific individual, whilst the Climate Champion monitors progress, co-ordinates the operation, and resolves any conflicts or challenges which impact the critical path.
5. Implement the plan.
Obviously. Hmm, it’s amazing to note the number of companies who begin to implement their plan one recent survey found that only 37% of companies actually implemented their plan, and then conveniently assign a lower priority to it when faced with challenges.
Instructions must be clear, and the Climate Champion should regularly check that each individual understands the role they play in the project, and how that role interacts with the role of others.
Effective communication is vital. The risk profile may change, business priorities may change, market sentiment may change, client demands may change, external events which prima facia have no immediate relevance to your business may unexpectedly come into play, and if there are changes to the plan stakeholders must be advised as to why, and what difference this will make to their contribution, otherwise people become confused and demotivated.
Aligned to that, it is vital to continually inspire all of your stakeholders to remain focused. Effective leadership is the cornerstone of success, and the emphasis should be on the team. The old adage that you are only as good as the weakest link holds true, and the Climate Champion should always measure the way in which each individual’s actions and outputs impact other parts of the plan.
One initiative which has worked well for our clients is the introduction of relevant KPIs into the appraisal process. Every good leader understands the significance of KPIs which follow SMART principles and which offer recognition for achievement, so it makes sense to deploy this tactic from the outset.
6. Monitoring and assessing progress
A continuous loop of monitoring and assessing progress towards your stated goals. The detailed process varies depending upon the circumstances in each company, and here again the role of the Climate Champion is key. Using a variety of tactics such as walking the floor to listen and observe the daily work pressures, talking with (not to, not at) stakeholders to identify pressure points or ideas which may improve the chances for success, and holding team meetings at appropriate times are some of the basic tools, but all of this is underpinned by establishing and maintaining a collegiate culture in which a no-blame environment is demonstrably in evidence.
7. Reporting of results
In smaller companies this may be a two-step process, with each individual team member providing updates to the Climate Champion who in turn reports to the Board or senior management team, whereas in larger companies the process may contain several layers.
An important initial step is to determine the audience each report is intended for. The audience should then determine the framework (the layout, content, and presentation) and the frequency of the report. The Climate Champion should also understand the circumstances which require immediate reporting of challenges to his/her audience and when such action is required by those that report to him/her.
How to get started on your journey to Net Zero?
In conclusion, the broad framework described above has worked, and continues to work, successfully for our clients. If this sounds like something which will work for you, please Schedule an Appointment and choose a mutually convenient time to discuss how we can help you.
At Peak Governance, we understand the importance of Carbon Reduction Strategies and offer comprehensive solutions to guide your business towards a more sustainable future. So, let's embark on this journey towards carbon literacy and make a real difference, starting today. :
Bespoke Sustainability Workshops: Our workshops provide a unique opportunity to delve deep into the world of sustainability, explore innovative solutions, and empower participants to make a positive impact on the planet.
Scope 1,2,3 Emissions Calculations: Understanding and managing your organisation's emissions is crucial in today's world, and we are here to guide you through the process.
Compliance with the Environment Act 2021: As environmental awareness and sustainability take centre stage, it is crucial for businesses to stay informed and meet regulatory requirements.
Accredited Carbon Literacy Training: Carbon Literacy Training Program, designed to provide businesses with the knowledge and tools to navigate the challenges of carbon emissions and sustainability.