Climate campaigners this week delivered a red budget box briefcase outside parliament, urging the government to support businesses in their sustainability efforts.
The ‘green case’ protest was carried out by climate platform Ecologi and the climate-focused lobbying group Climate Lobby.
It comes as research from Ecologi reveals 79% of UK firms – which have a key role to play in society and in protecting the planet – feel that the government should provide them with more support in order to improve their environmental affairs.
Of the 1,400 business owners and decision makers surveyed, over three quarters (76%) say the government investing in the green economy would be good for business, creating jobs and lowering their running costs.
Meanwhile, 73% believe more government support is key to their company increasing its sustainability targets.
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As inflation continues to bite, UK businesses are facing a number of barriers when it comes to meeting their environmental goals, ranging from financial constraints (32%) to the cost of tools or technology being too high (28%), to the lack of government support available (25%).
Nearly three in 10 (29%) have found the global economic downturn has had a negative impact on their environmental efforts with 31% still yet to set any sustainability targets.
And of those who have, just 27% believe they are on track to reach net zero by 2050. Perhaps as a result, many have turned to the government for help, with nearly half (45%) having applied for funding to help make their business greener.
Dimitri Theocharis, CEO of Ecologi said: “The message coming from UK businesses is loud and clear – the desire to drive sustainably is there, but the full support required to achieve this is not. It’s time for the government to act.
“To drive this message home, we’ve reimagined the iconic red budget box into a ‘green case’ for our planet to parliament. We hope this sends a clear message for the government to work together with businesses to accelerate climate action for a net zero future.”
