SMEs are vital to UK decarbonisation - how do we meaningfully engage them?
Collaboration, support and advocacy are key to engaging small businesses with the net zero agenda, writes Beverley Cornaby of The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group In conversations I've been having recently, a question keeps coming up - how do we meaningfully engage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in achieving the UK's net zero emissions by 2050 target? This is no small question - 99.9 per cent of all British businesses are classed as SMEs covering all sectors of the economy. Around 5.82 million of these businesses have fewer than 49 employees. SMEs employ 16.6 million people meaning they represent 25 per cent of the UK population - a significant proportion. Their contribution to emissions is also significant, if broadly spread. Business and industry account for 25 per cent of UK territorial emissions, according to the government, with just under half of these emissions from SMEs. If we are to shift the whole economy towards net zero emissions, SMEs therefore have a vital role to play.
SMEs are vital to UK decarbonisation - how do we meaningfully engage them?
Collaboration, support and advocacy are key to engaging small businesses with the net zero agenda, writes Beverley Cornaby of The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group In conversations I've been having recently, a question keeps coming up - how do we meaningfully engage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in achieving the UK's net zero emissions by 2050 target? This is no small question - 99.9 per cent of all British businesses are classed as SMEs covering all sectors of the economy. Around 5.82 million of these businesses have fewer than 49 employees. SMEs employ 16.6 million people meaning they represent 25 per cent of the UK population - a significant proportion. Their contribution to emissions is also significant, if broadly spread. Business and industry account for 25 per cent of UK territorial emissions, according to the government, with just under half of these emissions from SMEs. If we are to shift the whole economy towards net zero emissions, SMEs therefore have a vital role to play.