One in five businesses say the energy crisis has forced their organisation to de-prioritise net-zero, according to poll
November 2022 - Utilities
One in five businesses say the energy crisis has forced their organisation to de-prioritise net zero: A survey of UK businesses has revealed that a fifth have had to de prioritise their net zero plans, due to the cost of living crisis and soaring energy costs.
The survey, by edie, polled 148 energy and sustainability managers, finding that 20% of respondents 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that the business they work for is having to de-prioritise work that supports the transition to net zero. Furthermore, around one in 10 said that due to cost squeezes, their organisation is likely to fall short of its decarbonisation goals.
However, a quarter of respondents said that the crisis has had the reverse effect for their organisation, inspiring them to decarbonise more quickly, while it has heightened the need to look at energy efficiency for 6 in 10 businesses.
In addition, 56% revealed that their organisation is either exploring or installing decentralised energy generation in order to help reduce the consumption of gas and gas-fired electricity.
Almost half the respondents polled said that investing in behaviour change for sustainability over the next year was a 'high' or 'business critical' priority. Just one in 20 said it was not a priority for their organisation.
The NetZero Business Barometer also highlighted that renewable energy was the green policy that the most respondents would like the government to prioritise, and was a top three choice for two-thirds of businesses polled.
The research found that three-quarters of respondents believe that the energy crisis has had at least a 'moderate' impact on their employer's ability to develop and deliver strategies on decarbonisation.
Inspired Energy Plc’s head of net-zero services, Kristina Beadle, commented: “Net-zero has quickly become the sustainability buzzword, however for a phrase so well used it is often surprisingly misunderstood… This confusion is understandable when the UK Government itself has not published a clear definition of how to achieve their net-zero target.”
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