The Retailer Winter Edition 2023

THE RE TA I L ER

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7 NEXT STEPS TO NET ZERO

AndrewWalker Commercial Director Amber

A s the journey to Net Zero increasingly starts to feel like a sprint, the urgency to make changes to decrease the effects of climate change becomes non-negotiable. Net Zero is not one person’s responsibility, it is everyone’s – and if a huge collective effort isn’t made, the impacts will be felt by every person in every corner of the globe. Both individuals and businesses alike mustn’t underestimate the influ ence of their actions. Knowing where to begin when the market is oversaturated with information can be overwhelming, and the first step is often the hardest. Therefore, our experts at Amber have outlined the initial steps to take when moving towards Net Zero, to ensure a smooth and straightforward transition into decreasing your carbon output and, ultimately, saving the planet. 1. Set your baseline Measuring and understanding energy usage is the first step to reducing it. This allows businesses to know their baseline, enabling them to set energy reduction targets (e.g. decreasing energy usage by 10% year-on year). Only once these initial processes have taken place can businesses take the correct steps to reduce their energy consumption.

2. Change employee behaviour For every organisation your staff are a key asset and must be brought into your vision. The benefits of engaging staff to change their behaviour can be tangibly measured, often with clear financial savings. The key is to create a supportive system to ignite ideas and integrate best practice. The first step is to understand the quick wins and to deliver these. This can be supported by championing employees to instigate change, gen erate motivation, and deliver measurable outcomes. Changes need to be made at every level to support the Net Zero targets, and by encouraging employees through collaboration, Net Zero can be a positive change for good within companies, with benefits beyond solely the environmental. 3. Monitor progress Monitoring and verification are crucial in feeding into organisations’ overarching Net Zero targets. With waste kept to a minimum via con sistent monitoring, opportunities to implement Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) can be identified and implemented. These vary from low cost to no cost, with actions such as behaviour change and building optimisation, to CapEx projects, including upgrading to LEDs, or more efficient heating. The success of these initiatives can be defined by utilising data gathered and being integrated into your Net Zero pathway. This ongoing loop is a vital step in reducing energy costs, becoming more efficient, and allowing organisations to meet Net Zero targets.