Reaching Net Zero – A How to Guide for Businesses

The physical risk of climate change, and the risks associated with societal responses have led to greater challenges for business leaders, leaving some unsure where to begin. Our how-to guide will walk you through practical, actionable steps you can take to achieve Net Zero.

The need for businesses to reach Net Zero is unavoidable, and failing to do so creates risks and missed opportunities. For many businesses, the starting point is to:

Plan

Understanding your climate impact, agreeing the boundaries of your ambitions, and developing a strategy to compensate for or eliminate residual carbon emissions are the first steps to consider when planning your journey to Net Zero. Our Net Zero Roadmap outlines the measures that must be taken in order to reach zero emissions. 

Measure

The next step is to measure where you are now, since you cannot manage what you cannot measure. You will need to calculate your Scope 1 and 2 direct and indirect company emissions, as well as the Scope 3 impact of your sustainability initiatives. Our Getting Started Checklist will help you determine the best course of action.

Action 

What appears to be daunting can be broken down into strategic and manageable pathways. Starting by building a sustainability team to drive Net Zero initiatives from within. We’ve created some great resources on sustainability. Check out our latest infographics: 5 Reasons to Start a Sustainability Team and How to Develop a Sustainability Team.

Communicate

With the added focus on transparency in business communication, it is critical for businesses to take a deliberate and strategic approach to communications with all stakeholder groups – be it reporting on Net Zero or sharing commitments. Take a look at our Four Step Guide To Effective Sustainability Communications  to discover effective strategies for communicating your journey to Net Zero.