Federation of Small Businesses: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020-21
HELPING OUR MEMBERS WITH GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE AND CARBON REDUCTION Small businesses are embedded in our communities and many do so much good for their employees, supply chains and for the planet. This is not often recognised or celebrated, therefore FSB worked with the Good Business Charter to adapt the Charter to be suitable for small businesses, creating the new Good Small Business Charter.
Small businesses need to play a huge role in achieving carbon net zero ambitions. FSB made it clear to Government that its approach to net zero policymaking must be underpinned by five fair values – or principles – that will enable and inspire smaller businesses to take actions:
1. Ambition Climate change policies must be ambitious enough to have definite impact on the climate change challenge, both in their timescales and their scope and they must be informed by the latest scientific evidence.
2. Accountability Government, alongside regulators, should provide clear and accountable governance and ensure that climate change policies are coordinated.
3. Diversity of delivery Government should support, empower, and incentivise smaller businesses to find their own ways to net zero targets, acknowledging that a one-size-fits-all approach to policy delivery may not work; and that a diverse set of business-led solutions and incentives will be needed.
4. Opportunity Government must provide a level playing field, ensuring businesses of all sizes, in all sectors, across every region and nation, can contribute to a net zero economy through their innovations, their investments, and their markets.
5. Cost Government climate change policies must be affordable and achievable. The costs of transition to net zero must be distributed fairly among businesses, workers, and consumers, based on their environmental impact; their ability to pay; their ability to adapt and the potential for gain. 16
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