Global construction and consultancy firm Mace has announced the results of its second annual carbon survey, which highlights how business leaders are changing climate at the heart of their strategies
The report draws on research by YouGov, of 627 private sector senior management leaders to show that private sector organisations in the UK are preparing for a significant shift in how they do business driven by the carbon agenda.
Survey highlights:
- 58% of private sector leaders in the UK believe that climate change will force changes to their business model.
- 69% of leaders would use sustainability as a factor in accepting a new role, and 21% would only work for a business that is committed to being sustainable.
- 45% of organisations are planning on changing how they use their office space, with one in five reducing the amount of office space they use.
- However, only 36% of organisations have a carbon reduction strategy in place to address the carbon emissions of their property and estate portfolio.
- And nearly in 1 in 4 companies believe that recent global climate conference COP26 will not have any long-term impact on how they do business.
The report shows a significant shift in learning and action in the last 12 months.
Using broader data which included responses from Mace’s global clients, the report suggests that since October 2020, there has been a 39% rise in companies increasing their carbon reduction efforts and a 25% increase in the number of organisations with a carbon strategy.
However, despite the commitments, 29% of companies around the world are still trying to work out how to identify and record any savings from carbon reduction initiatives.
‘Industry must be prepared to work together to deliver a sustainable future’
Mark Reynolds, Mace’s group CEO, said: “Our research shows that although companies across the globe are responding quickly to climate change, there is still a huge amount to do.
“Personal appetites for change aren’t being matched by corporate strategy, particularly around the carbon generated from corporate property portfolios. As an industry we must be prepared to work together to deliver a sustainable future.”
