Over four in five (84%) sustainability leaders are confident they can align with the UK Government’s ambitions to reduce carbon emissions by 68% by 2030, according to Mitie’s new ‘Net Zero Navigator’ report. Despite this confidence, the report reveals the key challenges and concerns decision makers face to stay on course for net zero.

The survey of over 100 senior sustainability leaders revealed that decision makers are concerned about how changes in the energy landscape will impact their businesses. The cost of energy was revealed to be a top concern with over half (57%) saying they worry about the cost of energy rising over the next five years, and just under two thirds (64%) concerned that prices remain unstable. Similarly, three fifths (60%) are worried supply chain disruptions will affect their organisation in the next five years.

When it comes to realising decarbonisation ambitions, over three quarters (78%) said they face difficulty securing capital to fund transformation projects such as ground source heat pumps or onsite battery storage. The availability and reliability of renewable energy sources was also cited as a top concern, with over a quarter (27%) saying that this is the biggest challenge in reducing their organisations’ reliance on fossil fuels.

Now in its third year, this year’s Net Zero Navigator, Mitie’s annual decarbonisation predictions report, helps organisations respond to the fast-evolving decarbonisation landscape. It includes insight from energy and environment policy expert, Josh Buckland, on the policy landscape for the year ahead. This includes likely outcomes at COP30 where nations will be required to present credible plans to meet the 1.5˚C degrees Paris Agreement target, and the shift to renewable energy meaning nuclear power will see a resurgence as grid infrastructure struggles to keep pace.

Buckland highlights the need for organisations to transform ambition into real impact by demonstrating the broader value of decarbonisation, such as driving technological innovation. By taking a technology-led approach, organisations will be able to balance immediate energy requirements with long-term sustainability goals.

With almost all (99%) of those surveyed saying they have already implemented ‘quick wins’ on their sustainability journeys and are now looking to tackle more difficult measures to help them accelerate towards net zero, Mitie’s energy experts also share their top tips to navigate the path to net zero:

• Energy: Organisations that use smart data to understand their current and future energy use and work with suppliers to create a tailored energy plan will set themselves in good stead for the switch to cleaner, greener energy. Technology solutions, such as AI, can be applied to gain deeper insights into future energy strategy, factoring in typical generation from the grid as well as the weather and energy-generation patterns that might impact supply and demand.
• Legislation: Proceeding with confidence and investing in energy infrastructure such as on-site battery storage and EV charging, will help organisations stay ahead in the midst of legislative change.
• Estates and infrastructure: With extreme climate conditions expected to increase in frequency and severity, climate resilience for buildings should be a priority. Investing in climate resilient building upgrades as well as refining data and technology strategies to predict the resilience of supply chains will help protect organisations from climate change related extreme weather conditions.
• Strategy: Positioning the proven benefits of ‘quick win’ solutions as part of a holistic strategy will help build the case for larger and more transformative decarbonisation projects. A move away from short-term thinking will achieve a longer-term impact on sustainability and help drive more significant investment.
• Carbon reporting: Increasing ownership of carbon data beyond the boardroom and sustainability teams and making data more accessible and actionable will enable faster progress to net zero.

Mark Caskey, Managing Director of Projects, Mitie said:

“With a new government reigniting the drive to net zero and climate resilience becoming more urgent, we have to accelerate our progress to decarbonise.  Our report demonstrates many are still struggling to gain investment for sustainability projects – one way to address that is to integrate decarbonisation efforts into wider organisational goals. Rapid advancements in technology and AI hold the key to taking preventative action to create smarter buildings and manage our energy resources more sustainably.” 

The full Net Zero Navigator report can be found at: https://www.mitie.com/net-zero-navigator-2025/

Notes to editors

Notes to editors   

Research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Mitie from 30 October 2024 to 12 November 2024. Survey of 100 senior managers with responsibility for corporate sustainability at companies with over 1,000 employees.

About Mitie  

Founded in 1987, Mitie employs 72,000 colleagues and is the leading technology-led Facilities Transformation company in the UK. We are a trusted partner to around 3,000 blue chip customers across the public and private sectors, working with them to transform their built estates, and the lived experience for their colleagues and customers, as well as providing data-driven insights to inform better decision-making.   

In each of our core services of engineering (hard services) and security and hygiene (soft services) we hold market leadership positions. We also deliver projects capabilities in the areas of power and grid connections, building fit outs & modernisation, decarbonisation, fire & security, and telecoms infrastructure. Our sector expertise includes central government, critical national infrastructure, defence, financial services, healthcare & life sciences, local government & education, retail & logistics and transport & aviation.   

We hold industry-leading ESG credentials, including a place on the CDP Climate change A List, and in the past 12 months we have received multiple industry awards including Best Low Carbon Solution and Net Zero Carbon Strategy of the Year. Targeting Net Zero by the end of 2025, our ambitious emissions reduction plans have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We have been recognised as a UK Top Employer for the sixth consecutive year. Find out more at www.mitie.com.