Four steps businesses can take towards carbon neutrality in Q4, 2019 and beyond

Guest post by Joao Pola on Carbon Neutrality. 

The impact of climate change continues to become more visible with soaring, record-breaking temperatures and wildfires dominating headlines and policy. With this in mind, it has never been more critical for businesses to commit and fully achieve sustainable operations.

Lighting is the overlooked hero in combating carbon emissions. The energy efficiency of LED lighting is helping meet the needs of a growing, urbanised population while decreasing its share of global electricity consumption. While it may seem counter-intuitive to talk about lighting in the discussion around reducing energy consumption, LED in place of conventional, incandescent lighting would reduce energy consumption by a remarkable 53%. It’s not just our products that promote sustainability, it’s at the core of what we do as a business.

What we have achieved at Signify, (already having achieved carbon neutrality in the UK in 2017), demonstrates that if a company of our global scale can already be taking such leaps towards sustainability, other businesses can – and should – follow suit. It is my fundamental belief that putting sustainability at the heart of our purpose as a business is not only the right thing to do but is central to achieving profitable growth. Achieving that can be challenging. For business leaders the questions around how they should do their part to save the planet can be complex.

We need EU Governments to agree to bring forward the deadline for European carbon neutrality to 2050 – and to back more aggressive targets for businesses to be at the leading edge of creating a more prosperous, sustainable world. In the UK and elsewhere, we’re proving that it’s possible – and we’re keen to share what we have learnt.

Four steps businesses can take towards carbon neutrality:

1 Science-based targets: Signing up to the Science-based Targets Initiative (SBTI) is a simple way for companies to align operations in the right direction to achieve those targets.

2 Built environment: Taking into consideration that buildings are responsible for 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU, improving the designs of new buildings is a great way to achieve carbon neutrality. This can be done by consulting the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, an entity that provides a framework that helps the reduction of energy demand and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a method used in building projects and infrastructures that set the standards for environmental performance.

3 Vehicles: With businesses owning over half of all registered vehicles, it is critical for businesses to commit to the use of electric vehicles. A step to achieve this can be by joining the EV100-a global initiative by the Climate Group, which brings together companies that are committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles. Signify aims to have a fully electric vehicle fleet by 2030.

4 Renewable Energy: Having an operation run by renewable energy and monitoring energy use though LED and smart lighting systems that can monitor usage – an invaluable tool in planning to create a more sustainable workplace.

When I talk to my two young daughters and answer their questions about what I do at work, I explain that my job involves developing lighting that saves energy and ultimately improves our lives. I want them to be proud of what I do, and my fundamental belief is that putting sustainability at the heart of our purpose as a business is not only the right thing to do but is central to achieving profitable growth.

Whether we’re parents or not, most of us want to create a better world. Achieving that can be challenging. For business leaders the questions around how they should do their part to save the planet can be complex.

By Joao Pola, UK and Ireland CEO for Signify (formerly Philips Lighting)

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