26 For COP26: 26 Ways Business West is taking climate action

Author
Nina Skubala
Head of Climate Strategy | Business West
2nd November 2021

The COP26 summit is well underway this week. Already we have seen important discussions around what action needs to be taken to reduce the impacts climate change is currently having on our planet. 

The IPCC has told us that we are already experiencing long term, irreversible changes, but we need to act now and make rapid, significant cuts to our carbon emissions.

Continuing the theme of ‘26 for COP26’ we wanted to share with you the ways we are trying to tackle climate change (26 ways of course). Every business needs to cut its carbon emissions, for us this involves considering what we do at our offices in Swindon and Bristol. Additionally, we have also had to look at our supply chain and the impact that our services have. Take a read and take inspiration:

  1. Set a Net Zero target - We set a target to reach Net Zero by 2030, this is 20 years ahead of the UK Government target.  
  2. Engaged with staff - Employees can be the best source of ideas on how to reduce carbon, we held a workshop to talk about climate change and how we could act as a business. 
  3. Engaging with members, partners and peers -  We spoke to members to harness their expertise on how best to act on the climate crisis, this began with a series of Roundtable events and the creation of an advisory group. We have also surveyed our members to better understand their approach and obstacles when it comes to becoming sustainable.
  4. Managing our impacts with ISO 14001 system – This enables us to systematically manage and reduce our environmental impacts and its certification demonstrates that the approach taken is robust.  
  5. We became a B Corporation - If you haven't heard the news already, earlier this year we became a B Corp. This means we are legally required to consider the impact of our decisions on all our stakeholders and uphold the best environmental and societal standards. A huge company milestone for us as we are now recognised for the efforts we make in prioritsing people and the planet.
  6. We have a Carbon Reduction Plan – This demonstrates how we will be reducing our carbon emissions to hit our Net Zero target.
  7. Collaborating with stakeholders - Collaborating can make your impact more powerful as it is a way to share ideas and best practice. We are partners of Bristol Climate LeadersBristol Green Capital PartnershipSustainable Development AllianceBe The ChangeBritish Chamber of Commerce Climate Champion Group and International Chamber of Commerce among others.
  8. Sustainable procurement policy – This ensures that goods and services procured have low environmental impacts. As a result, we have switched from buying milk in plastic to glass bottles. The glass bottles are reusable, saving 84 plastic bottles per week amounting to 182kg of plastic per year. All teas and coffees are fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance Certified.
  9. Energy audits  - The Carbon Trust performed an energy audit at our office to identify energy and carbon savings. This helps to plan further carbon reductions.
  10. Heating controls  - By using heating controls at our offices, we are able to match heating with building occupancy. This means we are no longer heating parts of the building that don’t require it. This helps to reduce our heating costs and carbon emissions.
  11. Draft proofing - Both our offices are listed and are over 200 years old. Not built with energy efficiency in mind, having our buildings surveyed with an infrared camera means that we are able to focus our attention on where to draft proof our buildings.
  12. 100% renewable electricity - Opportunities to install our own renewables are limited, instead, we buy our electricity from providers using 100% renewable sources
  13. Installed voltage optimisation  - As well as using renewable energy, we look to conserve energy too. Voltage optimisation has been installed at Leigh Court, which supplies voltages to the lower end of the statutory voltage range. Typically, this reduces electricity consumption by 13%.
  14. Switching over to LED blubs - One of the easiest business decisions to make is the switch over to LED light bulbs, these save energy use in the region of 80%. 
  15. Using sensors and timers - We have simple timer switches on equipment like printers and vending machines so that they automatically turn on and off with predicted building use. In some areas, sensors will turn lights on and off.
  16. Behaviour change makes a difference - Where we don’t have timers and switches, there are signs (and sometimes colleagues) to remind staff to switch off equipment as they leave (this is also true for waste).
  17. Working from home - While many of our staff already worked from home or from co-working spaces to limit the need to travel to our offices, far more will be working from home into the future.
  18. Business travel - Pre-pandemic business travel in staff's own vehicles to customer meetings accounted for around 50% of our carbon footprint. The pandemic has seen an enormous shift towards video conferencing, a trend that is expected to remain. Our pool car is a Hydrogen car, we realise that this technology will play a big part in our region’s future.
  19. Commuting - Active travel is encouraged with cycle storge, bike maintenance kits, a pool electric bike, showers, and lockers on site. EV drivers can charge up at Leigh Court. 
  20. Urinal timers for water efficiency - At Leigh Court timers have been installed to limit water use. Without the timer, the urinals were set to flush regardless of use - this can waste up to 310,000 litres per cistern per year. The timer reduces the volume of water used by 75%.
  21. Minimising waste - We minimise waste through several ways such as: no longer printing agendas and delegate lists at our meetings, using DocuSign so that paper contracts and documents are no longer needed and taking part in Bricking It Bristol to recycle soft plastics. 
  22. Creating habitats for insects - In the summer, we created a meadow on part of our grounds, this creates valuable habitats for insects. 
  23. Having our own beehives - We have beeehives at Leigh Court at the far end of our lawn which is managed by a local keeper and the honey is available for staff to buy.
  24. Offset emissions - We are the first chamber to become carbon neutral. This is achieved by offsetting our carbon emissions using Verifies Gold Standard with Ecologi. The offsets are a mix of carbon avoidance and removal projects such as installing renewables and tree planting. These also help deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goal.
  25. Business support - We work with a number of businesses who are creating environmental goods and services to expand and grow through our start-up, skills, innovation and export teams. 
  26. Trading To Net Zero - We have created an online portal that provides simple guides for businesses, regional case studies and signposting to support.

Visit our Trading To Net Zero Portal to be inspired by other businesses in the region, or share your own journey to net zero with us. 

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