2021 was a big year for the environment, with economies moving from lockdowns and reduced carbon output in 2020, to seeing those levels rise again in 2021. Governments from across the world came together for the delayed COP26, held in Glasgow. And in the UK, The Environment Act was passed into law, a significant achievement that should underpin our government’s commitments to protect and improve the natural environment. So what will a green recovery mean for businesses in 2022?
Environmental Commitments
In a survey by YouGov, only 29% of over 1,000 senior business decision makers of UK businesses have a strategy for reaching carbon net zero.
Businesses with a strategy to address this issue statistically see better long-term growth and consumer support, with sustainability often allowing businesses sustainable levels of growth. We therefore expect this number to increase, with ongoing support to businesses in addressing CSR and environmental commitments forming part of this.
The commitments made by governments across the globe at COP26 mean businesses will also need to look at how their practices could be greener and contribute to achieving climate related goals. For UK businesses, the need to collect relevant data and be transparent when sharing it is going to be of key importance.