Breakfast Seminar: Are you switched on to your energy data?
As we move into new technologies with smart metering and intelligent collection of energy data, it’s now easier than ever to stay one step ahead of your competition. Many businesses already have access to highly detailed energy data and you just need to release the potential through analysis and interpretation.
Beyond Green is proud to be running a breakfast seminar, in conjunction with Anderson Strathern, on Thursday 29 November, to help you discover the hidden value in your energy data and how you can switch on its potential.
Join us to hear from Donald and Oliver on energy data and Anderson Strathern’s own legal expert on energy performance saving contracts. Further details here.
Coding towards sustainability
The third iteration of ‘theArena17‘ is in development as CodeClan sends three more bright students our way. This group had to tackle some important challenges that involved restructuring code and building a strong foundation to allow it to grow within a structure. With a solid base in place, a series of outputs are now achievable that provide resource efficiency opportunities and their estimated impacts on a business.
Celebrating successes from top Scottish Small Organisations!
Grange Door Systems
Last month saw our long-term client Grange Door Systems win the ‘Best in SME Carbon Management‘ award at the 2018 Carbon Trust Assurance Awards in London. A big congratulations to Kevin and the team for their long-term commitment.
Melville Housing Association
Melville Housing AssociationWe were thrilled to read this great article in the Housing Scotland Autumn Issue about our client, Melville Housing Association, as they are raising the bar when it comes to sustainability commitment.
Current carbon emissions reduction agreement will not avoid global temperature overshoot
With the latest IPCC special report detailing the need for urgent action on climate change, one of the most striking findings comes from the potential temperature overshoot. The special report highlights the potential of the global temperature rise to be over 1.5 degrees by 2040. The nationally determined contributions (NDCs) from the Paris Agreement have been modeled in the new report to show that the contributions will not be enough to meet the target of less than 1.5 degrees global warming. The special report outlined there is an opportunity to keep below the 1.5 degree warming with rapid decarbonisation, but even with net-zero emissions, there is still the potential for a ‘temperature overshoot’. This emphasises the need for continued investment into a future low carbon economy, including how business report to science-based targets.
Ipcc.ch. (2018). IPCC – SR15. Available at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
B Corp celebration
This summer we were delighted to become one of the few B Corp certified businesses in Scotland! We joined other organisations using business as a force for good, and the new Scotland Can B programme. B Corps are not a new thing for the UK, but as part of the Scottish initiative to create a more CAN DO economy, the Scotland Can B programme was launched to encourage Scottish businesses to build a better business.
To commemorate our B Corp status, Beyond Green decided to throw a celebration for B Corps, the Scotland Can B programme, during Scottish National Climate Week! Thanks to our collaborations, Scottish B Corps, and new friends for joining us.
2050 Climate Group and the SDGs
We were delighted to be invited by the 2050 Climate Group to deliver a workshop in October at their third module of the Young Leaders Development Programme (YLPD), to explore how businesses impact our climate and how they can contribute to a low carbon society. We adapted our very own UN Sustainable Development Goals workshop to inspire and provide practical tools to the attendees, including YLDP delegates as well as members of the public, to overcome barriers to change in the workplace. We were impressed by the 2050 volunteers who facilitated the activities. We took forward participants feedback to improve our workshop programme. We hope the attendees now feel confident engaging in their workplace about climate change. If you would like to find out more about our training please get in touch!
UK SDGs National Voluntary Review
The UK is reviewing its progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and invites people and organisations to share information about their projects that contribute to the UK’s delivery of the Global Goals. If you are interested in working in partnership across Scotland and beyond, to build awareness and support the implementation of the SDGs you can also join Scotland’s SDG Network.
Bank of England tells Banks and Insurers to plan for climate change risks
Credit to the bank of England for their prompt response to the latest assessment of the impact of climate change (IPCC report, see the article above). This provides a much-needed intervention from the Bank of England to clearly signal to our nation’s financial institutions to take leadership on the climate change risks facing UK businesses. Along with 18 other central banks across the world, they are informing the business community that financial risks of climate change are systemic and potentially irreversible.
What does this mean for businesses? This is not just a big business issue, it will impact small businesses in the supply chain. From conversations, banks will reduce lending/investment to carbon-intensive industries and products; businesses not adapting to the physical risks of climate change (sourcing of raw materials, movement of people and goods, flooding of facilities) and; businesses not implementing low carbon practices.
For example, an SME produces a component for a diesel car. How will the transition to a low carbon economy impact the future value of the business? A hospitality business with a high energy use will need to make significant changes to reduce demand and avoid higher premiums from insurers and lenders. Long-term planning is key as these shifts will impact SME owners who wish to sell their business in 5-10 years time.
Read more about what you can do on our news page.