Scotland won't be able to reach its Net Zero target without businesses taking action.
Taking action can decrease operational costs, improve long-term costs, resilience and help mitigate future costs.
The Net Zero Toolkit by Edinburgh Science
Wondering how to start your own net zero journey? Looking to get procurement ready with a sustainability strategy? Seeking ways to address your supply chain emissions?
The NetZeroToolkit is a FREE online resource from Edinburgh Science that supports organisations of any size – but particularly small-to-medium enterprises and microbusinesses – to build effective sustainability strategies.
Assuming no prior knowledge and jargon-free NetZeroToolkit users will be guided through eight core components and provided with a comprehensive set of question prompts, supporting notes and resources to help them to get on the road to net zero by 2045.
Currently over 600 businesses across Scotland are signed up and using the toolkit with many thousands more dropping by to use the resources within.
What you can do as an employer
- Set a Net Zero target - Having a net zero target, demonstrating work and measures being taken to achieve it is increasingly required.
- Consider retrofitting your buildings to cut down on energy and heating costs.
- Support active and sustainable travel
- Consider setting up a car-sharing group for your company.
- Encourage employees to reduce energy use in the workplace – involve employees in the process, ask for ideas and opinions. Explain the benefits. Involve staff in creating policies for the work place that encourage behaviour change – use materials such as posters and displays. Communicate through email to share practical tips and reminders. Monitor energy usage and communicate achievements to staff through email, newsletters and noticeboards.
- Share wider actions the organisation is taking – practice what you preach.
- Train your workforce and become Climate Literate!
- Develop a Climate Adaptation plan
- Offer remote working where possible – Remote working can benefit the environment and allows employees to have work-life flexibility. Remote working means fewer cars on the road, idling in traffic and equates to less carbon dioxide emissions.
- Review your procurement policy, use sustainable products and materials, and incorporate a Circular Economy Strategy
- There are multiple ways to make energy efficiency improvements. Find out more
Join the Circular Tayside Charter
- This is a tool for organisations to demonstrate their journey to becoming more circular. It helps businesses, charities, social enterprises, and community organisations create a plan to develop deeper systems and processes to embed circularity in their organisation and develop circular-first thinking within their teams.
- The charter evidences that a business is committed to the circular economy, and help with progression through Bronze to Silver and to Gold levels of commitment.