Transcript Business and the Environment

Business and the Environment
Ewan Boyd
Teesdale
Environmental
Consultants
Objectives
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Background to climate change and relationship
to business
Motivating business to ‘Act on CO2’
Strategies for action and overview of small
scale renewables
- in other words – the ‘What, Why and How’
Are You Aware?……..
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Please answer the quiz questions – there will
be prizes!
The Climate Change Message
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Atmospheric CO2 and it’s impacts known for
centuries
CO2 rapidly rising
Attempts to reduce the increase underway for
decades
Global climate change having real impacts
today
Motivating business to act on CO2
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Traditionally many businesses don’t see
energy costs as important
Role of business advisors may be to persuade
action on energy conservation
Energy effects every part of a business
Motivating business to act on CO2
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Simple actions can yield financial returns
Environmental awareness often popular with
staff
Grab their attention – point out wasteful
practices
What motivates a business?
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Reducing costs – the 20:5 ratio
Improving sales – marketing a ‘green image’
Corporate Social Responsibility
What motivates an individual?
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Delivering energy efficiency requires individual
staff to get involved
Need to motivate business owners/staff by
more than just profit
Carbon or £?
Opportunity to link positive benefits at work and
at home
Persuading a business to act
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Most individuals are happy to see action on
greenhouse gas emissions
The business can benefit directly from
immediate cost reductions
Longer term strategic benefits can also accrue
But – efficiency needs to be a long term
commitment, so needs an adequate
management system to be successful
Summary so far
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Climate Change is an ethical issue for
everyone, and a cost issue to business
Different types of motivation are needed to
persuade business to act
All staff must be involved, not alienated
Long term management approach required
Initiating an energy strategy
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Systematic approach
The 3 M’s, targets and benchmarking
Recording energy use
Resources
Responsibility – Energy Champions
The Three M’s
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Measure
Monitor
Manage
Measure
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Initial audit required – what energy is being
used, what are the costs etc.
Audit should cover all aspects of building,
operations, equipment and staff
Audit process can be used to introduce energy
campaign
Audit should identify areas of waste and no
cost, low cost and higher cost measures
Monitor
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Not ‘once only’ exercise
Need for detailed data over time
Should be done alongside other regular
business management tasks
Depending on business type and scale
monitoring could be on daily, weekly or monthly
basis
Manage
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Fixed & variable costs – are utility bills fixed?
Need to budget
3 M’s help you to understand why your
business spends money
Benchmarking – the next step
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Comparing performance is important
Establish targets to aim for
Can relate performance to
Past record
Output
Others within your sector
External factors (eg weather)
Recording Energy Use
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Data must be in comparable units – not based
on cost
Energy measured in kilowatt hours – kWhs
Simple spreadsheet can be very effective
Results should be publicised as motivator
Resources
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Business must have commitment if energy
strategy to succeed
Must allow adequate resources (including staff
time)
Should include a clear and well communicated
strategy and policy
Regular reporting system can help drive
commitment
A role for incentives
Responsibilities
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Requires senior/board level involvement
Energy policy must have ownership
All staff need to be involved, but leaders need
to be identified and given responsibility –
‘Energy Champions’
Points to remember
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Energy strategy must be lead by senior
management but owned by everyone
Use imagination to enthuse staff
‘No cost’ measures can save 10% energy costs
Beware the ‘easy action/difficult outcome’
paradox
Green Run and the Energy Walk
Round
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The ‘Green Run’ – a simple idea to make
energy saving actions routine
The Energy Walk Round – part of the regular
monitoring regime