Protecting the planet is everyone’s responsibility, including business owners. Taking action to make your business carbon neutral with these small changes will make a huge impact.

Small99, the go-to resource for news and guides for reducing businesses’ carbon footprints, have compiled a checklist of practical things you can do as a business owner to reduce your impact on the environment. 

The first steps are taking on the three pillars that your emissions will broadly fall into; Energy, supply chain and transport.

Changing your energy supplier can have a high impact on your carbon footprint. Switch to energy suppliers such as Bulb, Octopus and Green Energy UK for 100% renewable energy.

The UK produced 40% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2020, which is up from around 7% in 2010. 

Something as simple as using your office’s heating and air conditioning unit more efficiently can make a huge impact on energy too. Ensuring that your unit has reasonable temperatures, timing and season variations can save a lot of money.

In fact, as of 2010, DECC estimated air conditioning cooling to be responsible for 10% of the overall UK electricity consumption.

Purchasing second hand can have a huge impact on your supply chain’s carbon footprint. Give used items a new life and buy second-hand furniture and equipment online from places such as eBay and Gumtree.

Buying two new second hand desks could save you the equivalent of the CO2 emitted from driving to London to Edinburgh and back, twice.

Transport is a logistical issue for many businesses, but ensuring it isn’t increasing your company’s carbon footprint isn’t nearly as complicated.

Changing your transport habits will improve the environment, and even your health. Cycling to work has been proven to increase your productivity, save money and of course, lower emissions.

Also, the government is incentivising the transition to electric vehicles with tax exemptions and a ‘workplace charging scheme’. So, think twice before buying your employee a diesel powered company car, and look to electric instead.

Moving to eco packaging and deliveries will have a huge impact on your business’ carbon footprint. 

Try changing your delivery packaging to recycled products, and switch to a carbon neutral logistics company.

If you are ready to make the change, and lessen the impact your business has on the environment, visit Small99's start page for more in-depth information on how to achieve a carbon neutral company.