One of the main reasons for small and medium-sized contracting businesses to engage with carbon reduction is to support growth.
This is because many construction clients now have procurement policies that include net zero goals – and they’re asking potential suppliers to show how they’re contributing to carbon reduction.
In my previous blogs, we’ve discussed the basic steps involved in carbon reduction, and looked at the kind of activities that businesses of all sizes can set up to take their first steps on this journey.
But once that work is done (or underway) it’s vital to let your customers, potential customers and even your suppliers, know what you’re doing.
A like extra work can pay dividends for your business, when tendering for projects
Oliver Collins Marketing Manager for Contractors
A crucial move
Making a statement about your carbon reduction pathway is important because it immediately helps you stand out as a business that is taking this issue seriously. But it’s also crucial to send the right message, as you don’t want to be accused of ‘greenwashing’.
This means ensuring that your measurements, targets and activities are transparent. For example, third party accreditation for your carbon emissions measurements is critical today. Without it, there is no way to prove your reductions.
The Mitsubishi Electric Committed Carbon Reduction Partner (CCRP) scheme recommends that its members produce two documents: an Environmental Policy and a Sustainability Policy.
The main topic of your Environmental Policy will be carbon emissions reduction. It will show your current carbon footprint measurement along with reduction targets and annual progress measurements.
It can also include other environmental topics relating to your company. For example, if your business handles refrigerants, you might include a statement on how you work to minimise leaks through operative training and compliance with REFCOM.
Social and economic factors
A Sustainability Policy has a broader scope that ties in connected matters such as how your business impacts on social and economic issues. For example, CCRP members are required to comply with the Modern Slavery Act, pay the Real Living Wage to directly employed people in the UK and to promote equality and diversity in their workforce.
Although this may feel like extra work for your business, it can pay dividends when tendering for projects.
Clients will specifically target suppliers who can demonstrate that they are taking the right steps to operate environmentally and socially responsible businesses.
These documents don’t have to be lengthy, but setting out clearly what your business is doing in these areas can be the difference between winning and losing work.
If you’re interested in learning more about the CCRP, or in joining our programme, then click on the link to get in touch and find out more about how we can help you on your journey to a smaller carbon footprint.
Oliver Collins is Marketing Manager for Contractors
