Setting the right tone
Author: Mike Edwards, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Research published last year suggested that a survey of over 500 UK CEOs found that 74% placed sustainability and its social and governance (ESG) factors is at the top of their agenda.
A committed approach to sustainability can reduce costs and risks and increase such businesses’ appeal to increasingly socially active consumer and business audiences. Crucially, such gains are good for the company and are valued by the investment community.
Strong sustainability practices ultimately make for better businesses. The approach by the Bowker Group is reaping the awards. Lower utility costs, a reduced carbon footprint and future-proofing of critical costs are the apparent benefits; the subtle one is the reputational gain.
At AutoProtect Group, our increasing focus on sustainability initiatives recently saw our Shine mobile repair business become the first mobile repair network to gain PAS 2060 status – the only internationally recognised certification for organisational carbon neutrality published by BSI.
With a fleet of 80 vehicles that last year covered over 1.58 million miles providing mobile car body repairs across the UK, we are very mindful of our carbon footprint and have an ambitious commitment to play our part in tackling climate change. The stepped plan to Net Zero saw the business identify and reduce its carbon footprint. It meant assessing the net carbon tonnage of everything, including the energy usage and the business’ supply chain.
For Bowker BMW managing director Chris Eccles, the evident financial impact of their investment in solar panels is compelling. The potential to build upon this significant investment is one that we are starting to discover, not least of all in collaborating with our supply chain to help them to embrace sustainability as a virtuous circle that we can promote.
I love Chris’ line, ‘a pound saved is as good as a pound spent’. Our observation is that the return can be even greater. The value of a commitment to sustainability in the ethical message it sends to customers and staff can be significant. I say this for a business that, like Chris’, is early into its ESG journey.
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