Practical Steps to Achieve Decarbonisation and Drive Sustainable Growth

As the global focus on climate change escalates, decarbonisation has become an important goal for businesses and organisations seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. Decarbonising is about meeting environmental regulations but also embracing sustainable practices. This supports your business' operations for the future and maintains your competitive advantage.

With stricter regulations and shifting market expectations, businesses that act now will be better positioned for long-term success.

Why Decarbonisation Matters

Decarbonisation refers to the process of reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions across operations, supply chains, and products. Industries account for approximately 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the vital role businesses play in mitigating climate change (EPA.Gov). Beyond environmental benefits, decarbonisation offers:

Cost Savings: Improved energy efficiency and reduced resource consumption lead to significant operational cost reductions over time.
Regulatory Compliance: Aligning with standards such as; SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative), PAS and B Corp.
Market Opportunities: Growing consumer demand for sustainable products/services opens new avenues for revenue generation.
Brand Reputation: Demonstrating environmental responsibility enhances trust among stakeholders and attracts eco-conscious customers and investors.
Future-Proofing: Decarbonisation ensures your business is resilient in the face of market and environmental changes.

Practical Steps to Achieve Decarbonisation

1. Measure Your Carbon Footprint

The first step is understanding your current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By conducting a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment you can identify:

Scope 1 emissions: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, such as company vehicles or on-site fuel combustion.
Scope 2 emissions: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam.
Scope 3 emissions: Indirect emissions from your value chain, including supplier activities and product use.

A detailed assessment provides a baseline for setting realistic decarbonisation targets and tracking progress over time. This data also highlights key areas of improvement, enabling targeted action where it matters most.

2. Set Clear Decarbonisation Targets

Establish ambitious yet achievable targets aligned with recognised frameworks like SBTi. Targets should include short-, medium-, and long-term goals to ensure consistent progress. For example:

Short-term: Reduce scope 2 emissions by switching lighting to LED alternatives.
Medium-term: using 100% renewable electricity and low-carbon sources of heating (e.g. ground-source heat pump).
Long-term: Achieve net-zero through working with suppliers and customers to reduce supply chain emissions.

By aligning your targets with industry standards, you demonstrate your commitment to impactful climate action and inspire confidence in stakeholders.

3. Optimise Energy Efficiency

Improving energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions. Key measures include:

Conducting thorough energy audits to identify inefficiencies.
Upgrading to energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and industrial equipment.
Implementing smart energy management systems to monitor energy use in real-time.

4. Switch to Renewable Energy

Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar, or wind is a great step towards decarbonisation. Steps to consider could look like, installing on-site renewable energy systems like solar PV panels, procuring renewable energy through power purchase agreements (PPAs).

5. Engage Your Supply Chain

Addressing Scope 3 emissions requires collaboration with suppliers and partners. By providing tools or incentives, organisations can motivate suppliers to align with environmental goals. Sharing your decarbonisation objectives and integrating sustainability into procurement policies further reinforces this commitment, ensuring that supply chain partners understand and work towards shared sustainability targets.

Additionally, conducting regular supplier audits is essential to verify compliance with environmental standards. This also fosters a culture of accountability and continuous progress within the supply chain.

6. Innovate and Invest in Green Technology

Explore innovative solutions to decarbonisation challenges by investing in green technologies such as:

Adopting electric vehicles across your company
Integrating circular economy principles, such as recycling and reusing materials across production cycles.

7. Monitoring Your Decarbonisation Progress

Regular monitoring and transparent reporting are essential to identify carbon ‘hotspots'. It is also a great way to see what your business has achieved through implementing decarbonisation measures.

Often, especially if aiming to become a B-Corp, companies will publicly share decarbonisation reports and progress. This is an excellent way to show your commitment to decarbonisation and fosters confidence among investors, employees, and customers.