Environment

Businesses fail to enact environmental or social value strategy

There is a significant disconnect between UK businesses’ awareness of the www.freepik.com importance of an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) approach and how many have these policies in place.

That’s the damning verdict of a new study by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and SUEZ ahead of the COP 26 summit.

The survey found that nearly seven out of 10 (69%) responding businesses, of more than 1,000 surveyed in the UK, think ‘environmental sustainability’ is about cutting carbon emissions, while most respondents (82%) think it’s about recycling and reuse of materials. However, only 36% said they had implemented an environmental sustainability policy and 15% had implemented a social value policy, dropping to 9% for microbusinesses.

Other highlights of the research include:

• 71% think social value is about having a positive impact on employee welfare or job creation • 64% of businesses trust their suppliers to adhere to sustainability and social value policies

The study also highlighted several barriers to implementing a social value policy, including:

• 40% do not consider implementing a social value policy is a priority at present

• 23% think there’s a lack of demand from stakeholders – staff, customers and their own boards

• 22% think the costs are too high

John Scanlon, chief executive officer for SUEZ, recycling and recovery UK, said: “There’s a clear need for top-down support to help unite firms across the supply chain, given the disconnect between business awareness of the value from both environmental and social value policies, and the overwhelming lack of any such policies being in place. There’s no long-term future for business if short-term profit is chased at the expense of long-term environmental and social value policy planning.

“The aims of COP26 will only be achieved if businesses are brought on board and the perceived administrative and financial burdens from incorporating sustainability policies are removed. Uniting businesses is essential if we are collectively to meet the objectives of this November’s global climate conference – to bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.”

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the BCC, said: “This research shines a light on the mismatch between the clear understanding among UK businesses of what benefits can flow from environmental and social value policies and the reality of how many actually have these in place.

“Given the huge upheavals they’ve endured over the past 18 months, it’s perhaps understandable that these have not been a priority. Yet the consequences firms will face if they fail to adapt for the future cannot be ignored.

“That’s why the Chamber network has been supporting its members to find more environmentally sustainable ways of doing business and identifying opportunities to boost their social value impact.

“However, government also needs to help businesses help themselves, especially those smaller firms who remain understandably concerned about perceived extra costs and red tape if they want to change. This is not only a matter of a greener future for business, it’s about ensuring a brighter future for everyone.”

Renewable energy business, rescue vehicle manufacturer and Welsh cheese company are among Heathrow’s ‘Global Britain Business Champions’ – UK SMEs using the airport’s routes to export British excellence

• 10 SMEs from across the country have been named

Heathrow’s Global Britain

Business Champions - SMEs that export their goods and services globally via the UK’s only hub airport

• The winners, which range from a Welsh cheese company to a Lincolnshire-based renewable energy business, are set to receive free promotion across the airport as part of a campaign to showcase some of the British businesses that use Heathrow to reach international markets

• Cebr research reveals that

Heathrow alone has the potential to facilitate a £204 billion trade bonanza benefitting British businesses in every corner of the country

Heathrow Airport has unveiled the winners of its Global Britain Business Champions competition, celebrating some of the SMEs that export via the UK’s largest port.

The 10 winners, from across the UK, all export either their goods or services via Heathrow and demonstrate the best of British quality, innovation, technology, or design. The winners include Ormiston Wire, the West London based company that provided the wire for Heathrow’s past umbrella installation to raise awareness for neurodiversity. Hounslow chamber was very pleased to recommed Ormiston Wire to Heathrow. Their products have a wide range of uses, from surgical sutures to special effects for the film industry. Yorkshire-based rescue vehicle manufacturer, Angloco, is among this year’s winners. The company exports its specialist firefighting equipment to over 70 countries via the hub airport. Lincolnshirebased renewable energy business myenergi and the Welsh Snowdonia Cheese company are also some of this year’s champions.

Three of the Global Britain Business Champions - County Down-based packaging manufacturer, Premier Packaging Solutions; Redcar-based emulsions specialist, Micropore Technologies; and family-run Scottish woodcraft company, Reza Wood Designs - are also previous winners of Heathrow’s World of Opportunity grant. This was a joint initiative between Heathrow and the Department for International Trade, which provided grants to SMEs looking to fund trade missions to global markets of their choice.

As most of the cargo travelling through Heathrow is transported in the belly hold of passenger planes, international travel restrictions have severely impacted global supply chains and international trade. Heathrow’s August cargo volumes were 14 per cent down on pre-pandemic levels, while EU hubs, such as Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt were up by 9 and 6 per cent on 2019, respectively. the country trading throughout the pandemic and profiles some of the regions, nations and sectors that benefit from Heathrow’s connections as the UK’s only hub airport. The winners will receive increased exposure as part of the campaign and will be promoted on digital billboards around the airport.

Heathrow’s trade links are vital to businesses from a wide range of sectors, helping connect communities across the UK to each other and to global growth. These companies use air freight via Heathrow as it is faster, safer, and more reliable than other forms of transport. In fact, research from Cebr suggests that cargo transported through Heathrow includes some of Britain’s highest quality goods and services and is worth 80 times more per tonne than shipping freight, covering vital sectors.

Research conducted by Cebr this year shows the value of trade going through Heathrow in 2019 stood at approximately £188bn. Cebr forecast that by 2025 this could grow to over £204bn, creating economic opportunities that are key to achieving the Government’s own Global Britain ambitions and levelling up goals – as long as Britain’s vital trade links are restored and strengthened.

This boost has the potential to impact every part of the UK. Regions with a strong manufacturing base, such as the Midlands and North East, are likely to benefit most from future trade agreements with fast growing economies around the world. Scotland and Wales would see increased trade in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Heathrow’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ross Baker, said: “Companies in every corner of the UK rely on Heathrow’s diverse route network to export their goods and services abroad. Their continued success is crucial to Britain’s post-pandemic economic recovery, as well as the Government’s own plans for levelling up every corner of the UK and creating a Global Britain. We are proud to support these businesses and hope to facilitate even more opportunities, but Government needs to safely streamline the framework for international travel. Doing this will help to safely restore many of the invaluable trade links that have been severed as a result of this pandemic.”

Hounslow Chamber and West London Local Chambers will be introducing regular webinars, led by our newly appointed Director for Sustainability, Chris Greenwood, where our businesses can share their best environmental practices. For example, one of our local companies, Ajar Technologies has formed a group of 40 interested team members who meet regularly to talk through changes the company can make to decrease their carbon footprint. We all need to take responsibility in our aim to reach Net Zero.