We were proud to be asked to be one of the first companies to participate in The Planet Mark's groundbreaking initiative and are pleased to share the results, which confirm so many of our findings and impressions. As a leading eco-friendly and green office cleaning company in London and Manchester, we feel strongly about being a part of the SME community, focused on sustainability, ethics and transparency.
The Census was run by UK Business Climate Hub, the nation’s net-zero portal for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which condenses carbon-cutting advice into one easy-to-use website in partnership with Planet Mark, a carbon reduction and net zero specialists.
We have been working closely with Planet Mark for more than six years. They have not only consistently certified our year-on-year carbon reductions, but our relationship has developed into volunteering days together. Hive has also been a nominee and a winner at their annual awards—and we are looking forward to the 2024 awards, too.
The report's executive summary states that its objective is
to assess the current net zero measures and initiatives being implemented by UK organisations, providing a benchmark for industry progress. This report aims to aid decarbonisation efforts by identifying critical challenges and areas where additional support is required to accelerate the transition towards net zero.
The report recognises the pivotal role that UK organisations play in driving positive change and covers the commitments, challenges, and opportunities faced by organisations of all sizes and industries, each at various stages of their net zero journey.
It summarises responses from 2,005 organisations and states that
our findings reveal that while significant strides have been made, substantial challenges persist, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Larger organisations demonstrate higher levels of engagement and resource allocation towards net zero initiatives, whereas smaller organisations often struggle with financial and informational barriers.
The report provides actionable insights for businesses, policymakers, and investors to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.
One of the particularly interesting and relevant findings for us was that 37% SMEs reported receiving requests for carbon data from customers or tender applications.
It was reassuring to see a six-point list of recommendations for organisations, as we are on track with every single one of them.
1. Accelerate carbon footprint measurement
2. Develop comprehensive carbon reduction plans
3. Use trusted information sources
4. Invest in education and training
5. Invest in renewable energy and efficiency measures
6. Leverage industry associations and sector decarbonisation initiatives
We are also very proud to be among the 52% of companies that have measured our carbon footprint in all three scopes starting from our baseline (foundation) year.
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