Telecommunications giant BT Group has partnered with UK Business Climate Hub to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) halve their emissions by 2030.
Supporting SMBs in achieving their carbon emission reduction goals could be crucial for the energy transition in various ways. Clean technologies like solar and heat pumps could see an increase in adoption rates as companies wrestle control of their net zero journey.
According to research conducted by BT, there are 5.5 million SMBs in the UK, making up more than 99% of all businesses nationwide. They collectively account for almost half (44%) of non-household emissions.
Many of these companies also agree to tackle the climate crisis. Nine in ten (90%) of SMEs would like to address climate change at their businesses; however, they noted that they “find it challenging to get started and identify the right tools to mitigate their environmental impact”.
The partnership between BT and the UK Business Climate Hub will attempt to tackle this growing issue.
The UK Business Climate Hub offers free resources that businesses can access on their website to take the first step towards making a positive impact on the environment. By committing to the SME Climate Commitment, businesses can pledge to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, achieve net zero emissions before 2050, and report their progress on these goals annually.
Chris Sims, managing director, Small and Medium Business at BT, said: “BT set its first carbon reduction target more than 30 years ago, and we’ve had a strong track record of hitting our sustainability goals ever since. But we have size on our side – and from speaking to our small business customers we know that with limited resources, many of them struggle to find the time, the funding, or the guidance to help them prioritise sustainability.
“With the UK Business Climate Hub we are beginning our journey to reach more businesses with free tools and practical support to help them set the foundations for a greener future, and ultimately, reach net zero.”
BT Group branches further into UK energy transition
Since the start of the year, BT Group has been scaling its presence within the UK’s energy transition.
At the start of the year, the organisation launched its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure scheme, aiming to convert 60,000 street cabinets into EV chargers. BT confirmed that the first EV chargepoint will be located in East Lothian, Scotland and is due to go live in the next few weeks, with other stations following in the coming months.
Clarifying its plans, BT said it would install a device in the cabinets that allows renewable energy to be shared to a chargepoint alongside the existing broadband service without creating a new power connection.
This project coincides with a nationwide full-fibre rollout, which recycles old broadband equipment once it is no longer needed and will install additional chargepoints along the way.
