While next week, commencing 16 November, should have marked the launch of COP26 in Glasgow, its postponement to 2021 hasn’t prevented businesses from focusing on reaching their sustainability targets. For those organisations looking to build back greener, Mitie has launched its new step-by-step guide to reaching net zero carbon emissions, the Plan Zero Playbook.
Following five phases, the ‘A to E process’, the Playbook is designed to demonstrate to businesses, big or small, how to create a tangible plan of action to reach decarbonisation. The process has been formed as a cycle, where businesses can jump in at any stage of the net zero journey, from setting targets, to developing a strategy, through to support with the execution.
The guide has been developed based on Mitie’s own experience setting its Plan Zero commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2025, the development of its strategy and now the execution of the plan by a team of Mitie’s in-house experts. Thanks to this first-hand experience and the expertise of its Energy, Engineering, Fleet, Landscapes and Waste Teams, Mitie is uniquely placed to support other businesses looking to achieve net zero, by working with them to implement the A-E Plan Zero process – no matter where they are on their journey.
Mitie has already achieved significant results for its customers. For example, Mitie’s Energy Team saved over 300,000 tonnes of carbon in the financial year 2019/20, equivalent to enough power to run 370,000 homes for a year. By shifting its approach to reducing resources entering businesses in the first place, Mitie Waste has slashed the volume of waste its customers send to landfill by over 92,000 tonnes each year. Meanwhile, by turning food waste into fuel it provides over 12,000 homes a year with electricity.
The five steps of Mitie’s A-E process are:
Assessment
Before any goals can be set, it is vital to undertake an assessment of the current net zero progress, the tools and data available, and identity the relevant internal stakeholders for the project. This stage can also determine any skills, resource or data gaps in the business. Once completed, a Plan Zero taskforce can be formed to galvanise internal teams and drive each project forward.
Baselining and Targeting
Plan Zero is driven by setting a range of ambitious targets, with achievable goals to get there, covering every aspect of business operations. Establishing baseline data and comparing this against industry leaders provides the context to set ambitious net zero targets. Once agreed, these goals can then feed into an overarching strategy, such as Mitie’s Plan Zero.
Compliance and Certification
While Mitie encourages businesses to go further, faster, certain sustainability and reporting standards are legally required. Looking beyond regulations, attaining certification demonstrates to stakeholders that businesses take their Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) performance seriously which is increasingly important in the current environment.
Development
Once the groundwork has been laid, the business should develop its practical plan to achieve its targets. These should be supported by detailed funding proposals, which in many cases, can be developed to deliver zero carbon at zero cost, by focusing on solutions with quick pay backs and ordering activities in a way that allows savings to be reinvested back into the programme. This creates a snowball effect, unlocking bigger and bigger investments for decarbonisation, as the financial savings grow. These savings can also be used to fund other sustainability initiatives, such as projects to boost biodiversity.
Execution
With the detailed plan agreed, its’ time to put words into action by executing the strategy to achieve net zero. Although the business will be following a specific strategy, how this is executed is not set in stone. In fact, the plan should flex over time in response to external factors, such as new technology developments or changes to how buildings are being used. With many businesses setting goals that are five, ten, or even 20 years into the future, there’s likely to be many opportunities to reassess the plan and make it even more ambitious.
Given Mitie’s broad range of expertise, it is able to provide support to businesses whatever stage of the process they are at.
Pradyumna Pandit, Managing Director, Sustainability and Energy Services, Mitie, said:
“Ambitious sustainability targets are meaningless without an action plan to make them a reality. We’re proud to be walking the walk at Mitie, with a tangible plan of attack to meet our own net zero carbon target by 2025, but we know that we can’t solve the climate crisis alone.
“The journey to net zero can seem a daunting one, with every business following its own path and tackling different challenges along the way. However, help is at hand. By sharing our Plan Zero Playbook and offering our extensive expertise to other businesses, together we can make net zero happen.”
To celebrate the launch of the Plan Zero Playbook, Mitie will be speaking at the Sustainable Innovation Forum on Wednesday 18 November. For more information and to register, visit the Sustainable Innovation Forum website.
Businesses wanting to download their free copy of the Mitie Plan Zero Playbook can visit www.planzerocarbon.com.
Notes to editors
About Mitie
Founded in 1987, Mitie is one of the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services companies. It offers a range of services including Technical Services (Engineering Services, Energy, Water and Real Estate Services), Business Services (Security, Cleaning and Office Services) and Specialist Services (Care & Custody, Landscapes and Waste Management).
Mitie employs 47,500 people across the country, looking after a large, diverse, blue-chip customer base, from banks and retailers, to hospitals, schools and critical government strategic assets. It takes care of its customers’ people and buildings, by delivering the basics brilliantly and by deploying advanced technology. It is pioneering the Connected Workspace, using smart analytics to provide valuable insight and deliver efficiencies to create outstanding work environments for customers.
The business continues to execute its technology-led investment strategy and in the past 6 months has received multiple awards.
Find out more at www.mitie.com.
