How to align your business strategy with net-zero targets: practical tips from a Senior Sustainability Manager

With increasing rules and regulations coming into force around climate reporting, businesses around the world are setting ambitious net-zero targets in order to reduce environmental impact, fulfill reporting requirements, meet investor expectations and promote brand loyalty. Vanee Sivasamy, Senior Sustainability Manager at Zuno Carbon, has a wealth of experience helping customers measure, report and set decarbonization goals.  In this article she shares advice and practical steps that companies can take to reach net-zero targets and align them with their business strategy.

What are net-zero targets?

Firstly, it’s important to understand what net-zero targets are. Net zero refers to the principal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions so that the amount which is released into the atmosphere is balanced by the amount removed.

The Paris Agreement aims for the rise in global temperatures to be kept below 2C, ideally 1.5C, compared to pre industrial levels and to do this requires a reduction in emissions through commitments to reach net-zero targets by 2050. This principal is the globally agreed upon goal which is needed to mitigate global warming.

How to align your business strategy with net-zero targets: Advice from a Senior Sustainability Manager

Now we understand net-zero targets and why they are important, Vanee lays out the practical steps companies can take to align their business strategy with net-zero targets. 

“It’s important to start with low hanging fruit, switch off appliances, use energy efficient lighting, turn down the air conditioning for example. But when you know where your hotspots are and what you can feasibly implement, this is how you can create your net-zero target. So you need to understand your emissions first, before setting your targets”

1. Measure GHG emissions

Firstly, businesses should start by measuring GHG emissions across Scope 1, 2 and if there is sufficient data available, Scope 3. By collecting and analyzing this data, organizations can gain a clear understanding  of their current environmental impact.

While many companies rely on manual processes for GHG emissions measurements, the use of a comprehensive ESG platform can help to streamline the process and centralize data. Zuno Carbon’s end-to-end ESG platform can support your business, providing a single source of truth for emissions data.

2. Analyze data

From the emissions data collected, the next step is to identify any areas where there are emission hotspots that require attention.

3. Evaluate company resources

Once these hotspots are detected, companies should evaluate their capabilities and available resources to determine which projects are most feasible for reducing these emissions. This can include understanding how many people can work on the projects, which teams will be involved, if any extra equipment or tools might be needed and the size of the budget. In turn this will help to determine realistic short term, medium term and long term net-zero targets which can then be integrated into business strategy.  

It is important that companies don’t fall into the trap of setting ambitious net-zero targets without first understanding their current emission values, resources and budget available. Without this prior understanding, companies risk establishing goals that are either too ambitious or impractical to achieve, making it difficult to implement meaningful change.

4. Decide on targets that work for your business strategy

For short term reduction targets, energy efficiency projects are one of the most common and cost effective solutions. Typically, these projects focus on optimizing existing operations and trying to reduce energy consumption which can have a significant impact on emissions.

After undertaking energy efficiency projects, introducing renewable energy sources is the next step to reducing emissions and bringing companies closer to net-zero targets. Whilst implementing renewable energy sources, such as fitting solar panels on your office building, can have a high upfront cost, this investment can have a long term environmental and financial benefit.

Companies should also look to set long term goals, usually involving a thorough review of their products and services, to see where low carbon processes or circular economy practices can be introduced. Examples of this can include redesigning product packaging to reduce waste, or adopting better energy efficient manufacturing processes.

Aligning business strategy with net-zero targets requires a strategic and phased approach, ensuring the company has a detailed understanding of their resources in order to set realistic goals. It requires sustainability to be embedded throughout the entire organization, from product design to head office practices, in order to see real change and to meet targets.

What are the benefits of setting net-zero targets

Setting and achieving net-zero targets offers businesses benefits which extend beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including financial benefits, consumer trust and investor confidence.

Further benefits include:

• Integrating ESG principals into investment decisions has been shown to improve financial performance and resilience. A BCG survey found that 40% of those surveyed estimated that by meeting emissions reduction targets they saw an annual financial benefit of minimum $100 million.
• By improving energy efficiency, energy bills are reduced resulting in cost savings for the business and a healthier bottom line.
• Customers understand the importance of sustainable practices in business and choose brands that align with their values. Brands that implement sustainability into their company strategy and provide evidence of the improvements they are making receive increased consumer trust and loyalty. This results in better brand reputation and recognition.
• Companies that take steps to achieve net-zero targets also see improved employee satisfaction and motivation from working in an environmentally conscious company, improving retention rates. A study by Great Place to Work found that when companies actively engage in ESG initiatives their employees are eleven times more likely to continue working in the business.
• Implementing sustainable practices and making strides towards net-zero goals also boosts investor confidence and attracts new investment opportunities, providing the funding for further company growth and sustainable initiatives.

These findings underscore the benefits of implementing net-zero strategies for your business and adopting sustainable practices. Not only does it contribute to improving environmental sustainability but also offers economic and reputational advantages.            

Real world example of a company meeting net-zero targets from a Senior Sustainability Manager

While it can be hard for companies to know where to start when it comes to aligning business strategy with net-zero targets, Vanee Sivasamy, Senior Sustainability Manager at Zuno Carbon, has experience working with companies to support them in achieving their goals. One notable example is a project she worked on with a food manufacturer to improve their energy efficiency.

During the project, Vanee helped the company understand their baseline emissions for the ovens which they used in their production line. By streamlining and optimizing food production planning, she identified opportunities to switch off ovens not in use or operate them at lower temperatures, significantly reducing energy consumption.

After one month of implementation, the company reduced their electricity consumption by 8%. Over time, further adjustments brought the total energy savings to 11%. This helped the company to meet their overall short term net-zero target which was set at a 5% reduction of emissions in 1 year.

In addition to these efforts,  the company also undertook a review of different solar proposals to select the best rates in order to install solar panels on their factory rooftop. The capacity of the solar installation was 0.75MWp, which generated about 1040 MWh of electricity per year, with GHG emissions reduction of about 614 tCO2e per year.

This project highlights the significant impact that aligning your business strategy with net-zero targets can bring, from both an environmental and economic perspective. By aligning operational practices with net-zero targets, businesses can achieve a meaningful reduction in emissions, while also making long-term, cost-effective investments in the future of the planet.

Setting and achieving net-zero targets is important for both mitigating climate change and also to benefit the business. Businesses can see improved financial performance, consumer loyalty and retention rates among employees. By aligning your business strategy with your sustainability goals and targets ensures the company can make meaningful changes that are integrated into the values and operations of the business.

If you are looking for support in measuring and tracking your ESG metrics and setting net-zero targets aligned with your business strategy, get in touch with the team at Zuno Carbon for a free demo of our platform.