The positive outcomes achieved by businesses that engage with the Net Zero Bucks programme and the wider journey towards sustainability are undeniable and were on show for all to see.

For an idea of what it was like, see some of the photos taken on the day here (look out for the pedal-powered smoothie machine!).

And read on for a round-up, next steps, and useful resources to help you along your journey to net zero.

The business case for net zero action

Net Zero Bucks helps businesses to work in better, more efficient ways, helping them drive down their costs, win new contracts, access new markets, increase turnover, and reduce their carbon emissions. By saving money and reducing waste, businesses can be more productive and more profitable, create and protect the jobs that people need, and contribute to a healthy environment that benefits current and future generations.

This support is made possible thanks to the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), allocated by Buckinghamshire Council.

Cllr. Thomas Broom, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment at Buckinghamshire Council, set the conference in motion with a passionate introduction about the importance of collaboration.

Sustainability is intrinsically linked with business growth. Throughout the day, it was clear that what’s good for the planet is good for business.

This message was brought to life by the brilliant panellists who joined our Climate Change Programme Manager Daniel Cope for a brilliant discussion on the ups and downs, the challenges and opportunities, along the road to net zero. In Alex Vass (Independent Marketing Sciences), Helen Shellabear (Shellwin Real Estate), Paul Sharman (Tims Dairy), and Richard Collins (CSR Accreditation), you couldn’t wish for four better advocates for sustainability and net zero action.

Another thing uniting the four is that they have all cut costs and profited from their sustainable actions. The message from the panel: 'Sustainability is a money maker'.

Over the last 18 months, our Net Zero Bucks team has delivered £1.3million in economic benefit, representing a 160% return on taxpayer investment. Businesses supported by the programme have collectively reduced their annual CO2e emissions by 8,556 tonnes. That’s the equivalent of the carbon footprint of 1,056 average UK homes.

On top of this, the team have delivered carbon literacy training, helped businesses access a free travel plan through the 'Better Business Driving' programme, and engaged schools and students on the topic of net zero through talks and the Green Schools Challenge.

Small steps lead to big changes

One of the biggest takeaways from the day was to not feel like you need to be perfect or do everyone all at once. It’s a journey. It’s okay to take continual small steps forward. As Helen Shellabear said: “Inaction leads to disastrous consequences.” So, pick one thing to do, make it fun (‘gamify’ it), and set out to achieve it. That way you are taking action and moving forward on your journey.

Taking action to reduce your emissions is about future-proofing your business. And remember, you’ve already started! Whether it’s recycling, composting, installing more energy-efficient equipment, carpooling or any other similar activity, you’re already on the journey. So well done and keep going!

Buckinghamshire Business First’s net zero journey

• Reduced emissions by 36% since 2021
• Committed to halve emissions by 2030 (from our 2021 baseline)
• Committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2040

Useful resources and sources of information

• Simpler Recycling regulations: Waste and recycling collections are about to change for many businesses. Learn what items you'll need to separate, how many bins you'll need, and more with this informative article from Biffa.
• Rethinking Rubbish - The Road to Net Zero with Biffa: Fiona Campbell, Head of Sustainability at Biffa, joins our Talking Heads podcast to talk the circular economy, the need for business and local authority collaboration, technology's role in waste reduction, and how organisations can make a tangible environmental impact.
• Green Claims Code - developed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the code sets out six key points to check your environmental claims are genuinely green. In other words, to avoid greenwashing. Think you can spot greenwashing? Take the quiz >
• Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi),  tools and guidance that help companies play their part in combating the climate crisis.
• Better Building Partnership - a collaboration of leading property owners who are working together to improve the sustainability of commercial buildings. 
• UK Green Building Council, whose mission is to radically improve the sustainability of the built environment, by transforming the way it is planned, designed, constructed, maintained, operated and repurposed.  
• UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) - a body that estimates annual pollutant emissions from 1970 to the most current publication year for the majority of pollutants.

What are Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions?

You can’t reduce your emissions in a long-term, sustainable way until you’ve measured them in the first place. In talk about reducing emissions, the terms ‘Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions’ are often used. So, what are they?

1. Scope 1 covers emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly – for example from company vehicles.
2. Scope 2 are emissions that a company causes indirectly and come from where the energy it purchases and uses is produced. For example, the emissions caused when generating the electricity or gas used in buildings. 
3. Scope 3 refers to emissions that are not produced by the company itself or from activities directly controlled by them, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for. These include emissions created by purchased goods and services through supply chains, including business air travel, employee commuting, waste disposal, transportation and distribution (upstream and downstream), and investments. Scope 3 emissions include all sources not within Scope 1 and 2.

  
Reach out for support

Remember that Buckinghamshire Business First is here to assist you on the journey you are taking your business on. It is literally our job to help you, so please do reach out. 

Email [email protected], call 01494 927130, or book in a chat here.

If you attended the event and haven’t already done so, please take a moment to let us know what you liked about the event and what could have been better. Please take the short survey here.

Finally, make sure you get in contact with people you met at the event. Find the businesses that attended by going to the Summit & Expo event page and scrolling to the ‘Who’s going?’ section.