As consumers become ever more conscious of their environmental impact and begin to understand the urgency of the climate crisis, they have also started to hold businesses accountable for their practices and demand change. Thankfully, we have seen that many companies are taking steps to become more sustainable by reducing their environmental impact and promoting social responsibility. These steps can include reducing carbon emissions, using renewable energy sources, reducing waste, promoting recycling, and investing in sustainable products and technologies. Additionally, some companies (like the ones highlighted in this article) also focus on social sustainability by promoting diversity and inclusion, providing fair compensation and benefits to their staff, as well as investing in their local communities.
To start off 2023 with some inspiring insights, we thought we’d share with you the efforts of three other Liverpool Business Avengers in embracing sustainable transformation. One of the UK’s leading infrastructure, transport and real estate investors, Peel L&P is a great example of a company committed to doing better and taking accountability for its industry’s impact on our planet. They are able to do that through strategic alignment of the company’s strategy and operations to the Sustainable Development Goals. Peel also strives to be a transparent business, reporting annually on their progress against targets and key achievements. Their main goals for 2022 were to lower CO2 emissions, enhance biodiversity and report on the social value they’ve been delivering.
Some of their impressive achievements outlined in a five-year sustainability plan include:
- Sending ZERO waste to landfill for four years in a row.
- Creating 3.17 acres of public realm at Chatham Waters and Wirral Waters, bringing their total to 29.40 acres. This is part of Peel’s inclusive and sustainable urbanisation target.
- Focused on improving the sustainability of its existing assets, the company was re-certified to ISO 50001 for the eighth consecutive year.
- Installing 10 new EV charging points, bringing the total across our sites to 72
Further, Peel L&P have communicated that their future efforts will concentrate also on the upskilling of staff, educating and training employees on sustainability essentials, the SDGs and carbon literacy. This is incredibly significant as more progress can be achieved when all levels of an organisation are involved.
Another local sustainability champion is Fifty Eight, a B Corp providing businesses with training, research and development of practical solutions to the challenges of modern slavery facing companies and workers. Working with companies all over the world to build sustainable supply chains that don't rely on slave labour, but also make sure that workers have fair wages, safe working conditions, and opportunities for advancement within their companies.
Among the UK’s highest scoring B Corps, Fifty Eight is helping businesses all over the world improve their practices. The company’s consultancy and training services allow them to reinvest revenue into technology solutions to address these issues through their platforms Just Good Work and MeL. The company also reinvests profits into SMEs and organisations sharing a common vision, committed to tackling the root causes of modern slavery through job creation and education.
Fifty Eight is a prime example of a small business that's doing big things and creating meaningful impact globally. They've been named Best For The World in three categories (Workers, Customers, and Governance) by B Lab UK, and they're the perfect example of how a company can use flexible, resourceful and digital approaches to help those who need it.
Last but not least, we will look into the progress of the first law firm outside London, and the UK’s largest firm to become a Certified B Corporation. Brabners is a law firm committed to making a difference and leading the way for change in the legal industry. Guided by both the B Corp framework and strategically aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals, the firm has made significant progress:
- In an effort to reduce poverty by at least 50%, Brabners has put in place a strategy to measure and increase pro-bono activities.
- A philanthropic firm at heart, Brabners Foundation made grants totalling £65,814 to 26 different causes, covering a wide range of issues such as support for homeless men and ex-offenders, support for disadvantaged children and children’s mental health.
- As part of the future Net Zero scheme, the firm measures its carbon footprint and offsets emissions by purchasing carbon credits. They acknowledge that more needs to be done and have partnered with the Kingsdale Head peatland restoration project - a four-year project to restore more than 3,500 hectares of peatland and blanket bogs across Northern England.
As laws and regulations often fail to hold businesses accountable for their environmental impact, it is refreshing to see a range of local businesses in diverse industries taking steps towards change and pursuing a purpose greater than profit. If we are to tackle the climate issue, the private sector must embrace this mission as it represents one of the main contributors to climate change.
We understand that many businesses struggle to implement the right strategies to approach sustainability, as there’s no one-size-fits-all formula to tackle the climate issue. This is why we offer incredibly tailored services, that consider the uniqueness of each organisation and its operations in order to find the best and most effective measures that will help them become better businesses.
By Beatriz Lima, Marketing & Communications Assistant at 2030hub
