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Top line Improvement
Win business as part of a ‘greener’ supply chain
Businesses now place increasing emphasis on the environmental credentials of their supply chain. The CarbonNeutral brand mark signifies that CO2 emissions have been tackled according to best practice and sustainability standards.
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'Going CarbonNeutral was a significant factor in winning business to the value of £1.2m’ Michelle Nunan, Radio Taxis Group
'The fact that we have gained new business as a result of going CarbonNeutral® really reflects the changing attitudes of business wanting to work with environmentally friendly suppliers' Kate Craig-Wood, Memset web hosting
'Our CarbonNeutral policy brings real commercial benefits to the firm. We have been very active in advising clients on environmental and sustainability projects. Our recent appointment at Gallions Park for the London Development Agency, selling 1.24 hectares of development land is one such example' Nick Shepherd, Managing Partner, Drivers Jonas chartered surveyors
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Protect share price
Corporate responsibility is increasingly scrutinized by investors.
“86% of Institutional Investors across Europe believe that social and environmental risk management will have a significantly positive impact on a company’s long-term market value.”
Drive revenue
Companies with a public commitment to ethics perform better on 3 out 4 financial measures than those without (Institute of Business Ethics, 2003). These companies also on average have 18% higher profits. In BT’s Annual Report, their strong focus on social and environmental issues delivered a £900 million increase in 2004 revenue.
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Bottom line Improvement
Save energy costs
Businesses who switch to more energy efficient processes can see significant savings in their energy expenditure.
St Luke’s introduced a low carbon emission and recycling programme, reduced waste by 22% and CO2 emissions and energy costs by 30% since 2004.
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"We like the approach of The CarbonNeutral Company: imaginative but pragmatic, they understand our business and help us develop a continuing programme that delivers value, engages our clients and gains the enthusiasm of our staff"
Neil Thomson Chief Operating Officer |
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Reputation
Customers and opinion formers are increasingly taking an interest in how companies conduct their business in relation to climate change. This can adversely affect a company’s reputation in manifold ways, from media comment to purchasing decisions to recruitment and even planning applications.
For example:
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Made a new 518-unit development CarbonNeutral by:
- Switching to ‘green’ energy for construction
- Offsetting unavoidable emissions
- Contracting all 518 units to a renewable energy supply
They received visible support from national and local government, including an official launch presentation by the Minister for the Environment.
CarbonNeutral offset projects are visible and tangible – from local forests to solar schemes in small communities in Sri Lanka. We worked with O2 to maximise the communications potential of a forestry project.
60% of O2 staff registered for a dedicate-a-tree promotion within 3 weeks, achieving the company objectives of visibility and staff engagement around a climate protection strategy. The ‘ripple’ effect on families, friends, schools, customers and media interest can only benefit O2’s reputation.
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“70% of people believe businesses should take responsibility for limiting climate change”.
ICM, 2005 |
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Transformation
Real progress on climate change is made when companies find ways to reduce their emissions in absolute terms, while they grow their top lines. This generally requires a unique and transformational combination of activities.
This is a company with aggressive plans for growth through acquisition. They have focused on making operations CarbonNeutral by using offsets to compensate for the (clearly) unavoidable emissions of running a large fleet of taxis.
In the future, real and absolute reductions in emissions will require a combination of alternative fuels and more fuel-efficient engines.
These measures will be further supported by staff and driver training, interaction with the authorities who set the technical specifications for black cabs, and a constant consideration of customer requirements for greener mobility in and across London.
By acting now to transform the carbon footprint of their business model, they have created the basis for a long-term sustainable advantage.
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