In recent years, sustainability has moved from being a ‘nice-to-have’ for organisations to a business imperative. More than ever investors, employees and consumers are seeking out businesses with credible green credentials. Pair this with tightening legislation, harsher fines and increased scrutiny of unethical brands, and it’s easy to see why businesses must align with the global mission to tackle the climate crisis.
But where do you start? And can you really be sustainable and maintain your bottom line? Can businesses really cut costs while they’re cutting carbon?
At Planet Mark, we believe sustainability and business go hand in hand. For a decade, we have seen how our sustainability certifications support carbon reductions as well as business growth – providing more than just a seal of approval. In this blog, we will explore how sustainability and business work interdependently and share best practice advice on how you can adopt sustainability to enhance your commercial resilience, brand position and operational effectiveness.
The sustainability shift
Since the Paris Climate Agreement, Governments, consumers, suppliers and investors have become increasingly aware of the climate crisis and are looking to organisations to understand and reduce their impact. The UK has seen a sharp acceleration in their climate efforts; with all UK organisations tasked with reaching net zero by 2050. Similarly, regulations such as Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), require large organisations to publicly disclose emissions data and review practices to reduce energy consumption.
For the last 10 years, Planet Mark has been supporting organisations across the UK to get ahead of the curve and drive positive change towards measuring and reducing their carbon footprint. With so much at stake, we know how important it is for organisations to get this right. We’re more than a mark of positive impact.
Our action-orientated solutions ensure stakeholder buy-in and help you tell your sustainability story with credibility and confidence – invaluable steps in your journey.
We have seen first-hand how organisations that incorporate sustainability sooner are more likely to have a competitive advantage and reduce the risk of future fines for non-compliance. Through our years of experience, we’re able to ensure your organisation gains the most out of decarbonising through tangible actions that provide cost savings and operational improvements.
Unlocking more with sustainability
As the enormity of the climate crisis grows, so does the pressure for organisations to work with rather than against sustainability. The sooner you can get ahead of compliance and integrate sustainability into their everyday practices, the better for your brand and your bottom line.
Planet Mark’s services have helped hundreds of organisations achieve wider business benefits with sustainability, moving beyond the mark. Here are some of the business benefits your organisation can achieve with Planet Mark:
Strengthen your commercial resilience
Sustainability is not only a tick box for compliance – it’s also an opportunity to save money by decarbonising. Reducing your carbon footprint involves identifying areas for operational improvements such as strategic waste management, streamlining your supply chain and switching to renewable energy to support reductions of scopes 1, 2 and 3.
At Planet Mark, we’ve helped members like, Higgins Construction Group PLC achieve cost savings with a switch to renewable energy.
“Planet Mark’s energy service has helped us move from a grid-average fuel mix to 100% renewable energy and saved us significant amounts of money in the process” – Julie Brooks, Director of Compliance, Higgins Construction Group PLC.
Our data analysts’ thorough approach to analysing your emissions enables your organisation to identify opportunities for maximum carbon reductions and cost savings – this is then brought to life through our company-wide energisers to help your organisation take the first steps to reduction.
Strengthen your brand position
Organisations with truly credible sustainability credentials can strengthen their brand position and avoid claims that cause reputable damage. The global efforts to tackle the climate crisis have shifted consumer behaviour as they work towards reducing their negative impact. Now over 80% of consumers are more loyal to organisations that support social or environmental issues. Similarly, consumers reduce their use of a brand if they discover they are acting in an unsustainable way.
Through our three-step process, we help organisations Measure, Engage and authentically Communicate their sustainability story. Our dedicated member communications experts support organisations enhance with a range of communications, from bids and tenders to press releases, livery, and consumer messaging.
For our member Michelmores LLP, we have helped them understand their energy consumption to target focus on making deep emissions cuts and communicate their sustainability efforts. Tim Richards, Managing Partner at Michelmores LLP, said, “Obtaining external certification for our efforts is key to our transparency when communicating with our key stakeholders (employees, suppliers, Clients etc.). An important aspect of our certification journey has included engaging and communicating with our people…Planet Mark was attractive to us particularly because of its wider remit in terms of social values and the integrated approach to internal and external communication and engagement”.
Improve your operational effectiveness
Pressure on large organisations to comply with regulations and set credible net zero targets has created a knock-on effect on organisations within their supply chain. Whether you are a direct supplier, partner or seeking investment, these large organisations are requesting you align with their net zero and sustainability commitments.
Fostering sustainability and becoming Planet Mark certified can help your organisation unlock supply chain effectiveness to collaborate and align your organisation’s sustainability commitments with your value chain. This will enable your organisation to identify new solutions and create knowledge sharing on best practices within your supply chain to drive collective action at systemic and industry levels.
“Working with Planet Mark has enabled us to refine and improve our approach to data collection for scope 3 emissions across our UK operational sites, establish a data collection process for scope 3 emissions for parts of our global operations, and complete a Scope 1, 2 and 3 baselines, which will enable us to engage our supply chain. Working with our suppliers to involve them in our sustainability targets is an imperative part of reducing our overall carbon footprint and eventually achieving net zero.” – Samantha Ryall, Head of Supply Chain, Gripple Limited.
Start your sustainability journey with Planet Mark
Planet Mark has been helping organisations embed sustainability into their business for a decade, helping them make a positive impact while achieving commercial resilience, building a strong brand position and improving operational efficiencies.
