This month the UN Convention on Climate Change (COP29), takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, drawing together world leaders to discuss what can be done to create a more sustainable planet.
We caught up with Lesley Lambert, Strategic Project Manager from UKSPF funded Low Carbon Eco Innovatory (LCEI) to get their take on what the issues are and how local businesses can take their own action to reduce their carbon footprint.
Earlier this year the UK saw a new government elected. How, if at all, has this changed the picture for businesses around Net Zero and what they need to put in place over the coming years?
Labour has shown a commitment to the Net Zero agenda, with the goal of making the UK a “clean-energy superpower”, but we can’t really tell just yet what the trickle-down benefits or direct interventions/support will be specifically for businesses.
The Government has just committed in its Autumn budget to supporting UKSPF for a further 12 months, on a reduced basis, which may mean projects like LCEI can potentially continue offering businesses research and financial support to explore and install renewable and low carbon technologies and processes.
What remains certain, is that all businesses large or small have a part to play in reducing carbon, and we’d encourage businesses to start now by engaging with the support that is already out there, from projects such as LCEI or organisations like the Growth Platform or 2030 Hub and start making changes within their organisation’s culture and outlook, towards innovation and green processes.
What are the benefits to businesses in looking at reducing their carbon footprint and becoming more sustainability focussed?
The benefits are many.
- Commercial and economic benefits – Firstly in saving money by potentially reducing their energy bills, increasing efficiencies and reducing waste.
Secondly, by winning and retaining more contracts and customers. Supply chains are increasingly focused on sustainability and it is becoming common practice for businesses to be asked to show how they are committed to reducing carbon or to have a sustainability strategy in place when bidding for tenders/winning contracts. Plus, customers as individuals are becoming more environmentally aware, and a brand or product’s eco credentials are an increasingly important part of decision making in purchasing. - Reputation building and staff wellbeing – Committing to environmental and social responsibility projects a sense of a company’s culture and values, of an ethos of ‘giving back’ not just prioritising profits. This helps to build a strong reputation of an ethical business that other businesses want to work with.
Low carbon initiatives that have a positive impact on the work environment and employee health, such as improving air quality or heating, cycle to work schemes or EV charge points, can help attract and retain staff and create a greater sense of overall employee wellbeing. - Sustainable Development Goals – Aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals can help focus and communicate a business’s social and environmental values.
What should a business do first if they are wanting to explore how they can reduce their impact on the environment?
Internally, business can start by organising sustainability steering groups, developing a sustainability strategy and goals, or appointing a staff member to lead on sustainability issues. Culture change/staff buy-in can make a huge difference.
Its important for businesses to understand and benchmark their current emissions. Projects such as LCEI can support on this or help may be available from local business chambers or growth hubs. It’s vital to understand the starting point when working to reduce emissions, and this could also highlight areas of the business responsible for the highest portion of emissions, where the biggest reductions could be made, which isn’t always what you think it will be.
It’s also helpful to start with simple or small changes such as switching to LED lighting and reducing energy/water use. Then they can look at other areas such as:
- Supply chain – Can they cut travel miles by using local suppliers? Are their suppliers committed to sustainability? This contributes to a business’s Scope 3* emissions.
- Energy – Switch to a supplier that offers power generated by renewables. Consider installing renewable energy tech such as PV panels.
- Aiming for *Scope 1&2 wins – These are much more achievable and will set you on the right path to reducing Scope 3 emissions.
*A brief explanation of scope to help
Scope 1 emissions – emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly – for example from burning fuel in company vehicles.
Scope 2 emissions – emissions that a company causes indirectly from the energy it purchases and uses. For example, the emissions caused from electricity, steam, heating and cooling in company buildings.
Scope 3 emissions – everything else. Emissions that are not produced by the company itself and are not the result of activities from assets owned or controlled by them, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain. This includes:
- Purchased goods and services
- Business travel
- Employee commuting
- Waste disposal
- Use of sold products
- Transportation and distribution (up and downstream)
- Investments
- Leased assets and franchises
Tell us how businesses have benefitted from working with LCEI
The vast majority of UK businesses are SMEs, which we predominately work with. These businesses often have limited time and resources to dedicate to reducing carbon, particularly when it comes to the capital investment needed for renewables and low carbon tech.
LCEI offers a grant scheme to fund up to 50% of the cost of these installations, significantly increasing the number of businesses investing in this way in the LCR, who would not have otherwise taken that step.
We offer research and student projects to help further their understanding of their business’s carbon emissions, to support the development of new and improved products and processes, and streamline energy usage and adoption of low carbon technologies.
Providing access to university expertise and research, LCEI helps increase knowledge transfer and connections between academic institutions and industry, with huge potential impacts for business profitability.
You can read some of the stories of those we have supported here.
Any final advice to businesses around developing eco innovation in their planning and processes?
Businesses of all sizes in every sector can innovate – from adopting new, more efficient processes or renewable technologies to digitisation or utilising AI.
Eco innovation doesn’t have to be on a grand scale – it’s about what is innovative or game-changing for your individual business. Small steps can add up to big changes, and you can set an example in your sector, especially if it is an historically emissions-loaded industry.
Net zero is achievable, and offers a wealth of benefits, commercial and environmental. Start looking at your processes and where efficiencies can be made or more sustainable options explored.
Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory
Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory supports businesses in the Liverpool City Region to decarbonise.
The project offers access to university technologies, academic expertise and financial assistance to support your business’s low carbon journey.
The project is a partnership between Liverpool John Moores University and University of Liverpool.
Blending university-led research with a capital grant fund, LCEI facilitates clean and sustainable growth, enabling businesses to progress towards their Net Zero goals.
- Match funding available for low carbon installations and technologies
- Academic expertise to help your journey to Net Zero
- Support for clean and sustainable business growth
For more information visit the Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory website.
Or contact Industry Liaison Officer John Mathias: j.m.mathias@ljmu.ac.uk