Ready to take action to achieve net zero? In previous Insights, JBA's Decarbonisation Lead, Martin Gibson, has shared how to take the first steps on the journey towards net zero and explored the different sources (scopes) of emissions.
In this latest post, he highlights how a strategic approach to net zero can support you to take action - along with practical advice to encourage engagement with the net zero process.
Use programme management principles to help deliver your net zero goals
Reaching net zero relies heavily on change management. Recognising this, we've found that applying the principles of successful programme management can be extremely helpful for organisations that are ready to take action to achieve net zero.
These approaches are particularly useful when addressing complex challenges where you know the strategic outcome you want to achieve, but don't necessarily know how to get there. Adopting this approach and creating a framework of related projects which develop as you progress helps to address this whilst also ensuring that you achieve the outcome of net zero.
How to choose relevant actions...
In previous Insights, we've looked at how to determine the actions you and your organisation can take to achieve net zero. By identifying these initial actions and setting them up as projects, you can start your programme on its journey to delivering your strategic outcomes. For these projects, it can be useful to look at things you have the most control over. For example, the size of emissions, your culture and the skills that your team have.
Unfortunately, there is no set formula for choosing the best approach. Creating a simple matrix of the benefits and costs of different options can help to inform your decision-making. Think about what each project needs to achieve. Do you need to demonstrate success early or make a big reduction in carbon emissions? The scale of work needed to achieve these may be very different.
When choosing relevant actions, it can help to start with things over which you have the most direct control. Typically, this includes energy efficiency, transport optimisation or reducing carbon from a key material or service that you use.
Encourage engagement in the net zero process
Having some early visible wins can help build momentum and encourage engagement in the net zero process. Here, energy efficiency is often a good place to start.
Another visible project that can engage people is reducing waste and increasing reuse and recycling. Whilst the impact of these activities on carbon reduction may be relatively small, the fact that they are highly visible can boost engagement significantly. As a result, these activities are an effective way of raising awareness and improving education, increasing the potential for individuals to take action at work and beyond.
Other activities that are effective in engaging colleagues in carbon reduction include digital clean-out challenges, meat-free recipe days and energy efficiency competitions.
Stop the ROT with a digital declutter
A significant amount of business data is Redundant, Obsolete or Trivial (ROT). This data incurs storage costs, and the energy needed to run and cool the machines used leads to carbon emissions. While many people are aware that the use of IT leads to emissions, fewer people know how the actions they take at work can reduce the effect.
ROT comes in many forms, but the most likely sources are:
- Duplicate email attachments
- Long email threads
- Multiple versions of files
- Expired session cookies
- Out of date messages
- Retaining unused data
Unfortunately, it can take time to manage getting rid of ROT. Having policies and systems for managing it automatically can help, but giving people a bit of time and a reduction objective can help them to take more control. Getting rid of digital clutter can also improve efficiency by making it easier to find relevant information.
Communicate your results and encourage new ideas
Communication is key in driving forward a net zero programme. The various activities highlighted not only foster engagement but also provide results that you can communicate. To support this, it can be helpful to identify groups of stakeholders and the types of messages that are most helpful to them. For example, it may be that some messages are of interest across a range of stakeholders, whilst others apply to a more specific audience. Regular communication also encourages wider engagement, so developing a programme of planned communications and welcoming feedback can help to keep up motivation and bring in new ideas.
In our experience, net zero programmes are most effective when the majority of delivery comes from employees. However, we understand that organisations may not always have the skills or capacity in-house to deliver this. This is where we can provide support, whether that's our own expertise or by bringing in knowledge from other organisations to streamline the process of learning and adopting best practices.
Wherever you are on your net zero journey, consider how to manage the programme of activities that will help you achieve your strategic goal. There are considerable business benefits to taking action.
For more information on how we can support your net zero journey, please contact Martin Gibson.
