The intensity of public discussion on sustainability has grown and accelerated markedly following the Covid-19 crisis. This blog post covers all aspects of sustainability from climate change and CO2 emissions to ethical sourcing and the global supply chain, as well as a summary of how different industry sectors are working together to commit towards more sustainable practices. To hear directly from some of the biggest global companies on what they are doing to create a more environmentally friendly future, make sure to sign up to upcoming our events with ICAEW, Vodafone and The Canal & River Trust

Sustainability refers to the ability of something to maintain or “sustain” itself over time and is commonly considered to have three dimensions: the environmental, economic, and social dimension. But below we will establish what each one of us can be doing to help contribute to a better, brighter, and safer future…

What can you do to help build awareness on how to be sustainable?

It is today’s generation who are perhaps the first to really understand the damages being done to our environment and ecosystem and the implications that this will have on our future. The ecosystems across the world are in a fragile state which threatens the ability of future generations to thrive socially, economically, and even physically.

By working together and thinking in new ways, each of us can contribute, here are a few simple ways how:

• Turning lights and electricity off when not in use
• Walking more and using public transport as opposed to driving
• Recycle and Reuse
• Grow your own produce! This is fun and more affordable
• Donate unused items
• Buy sustainably from charity shops, ethical clothes store etc
• Spend time outdoors and appreciate the nature and your surroundings

Do you want to find out more ways you can become more sustainable? Check out The Canal & River Trust and learn how spending time in the outdoors can better your mental health!

Staying committed:

In today’s technological age, more and more businesses are working hard to use new software and technology to work on tackling this global problem. Let’s find out how businesses are getting involved:

How is the construction industry becoming more sustainable?

Buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of global energy use, but with advancing technologies and new formed habits they have an enormous potential for sustainable innovation.

Sustainable construction means building with renewable and recyclable resources and materials. This could be by:

• Using renewable energy
• Using on site water treatments and plants to minimise waste
• Recycling and building with renewable or waste materials

How Technology can make us all more sustainable…

Leading companies understand that achieving ambitious sustainability goals requires a systematic approach to transformation. Not only will digital technology help advance businesses initiatives, they will also enable profitable solutions that will also have a positive impact on net zero and the three dimensions; social, economic and environmental.

Digitised operations: Creating more sustainable operations and processes which reduce water, energy, and chemicals used and pollution created.

Digital Projects and Services: Creating new distribution channels that break economic constraints to expand, reach, scale, and access for beneficial societal impact at affordable costs. Just imagine the future of how your parcels get delivered…

Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics: Generating insights on the environmental and societal impacts of a product or service could encourage and engage customers to learn more about the impact of their purchases and help create an optimisation solution which tracks and incentivises energy savings over time. This will also help create transparency and accountability among partners.

Interested in finding out more on technology’s commitment to sustainability, come along to our event with Vodafone on Tuesday 24^th May, sign up for free here.

How Accountants are helping businesses become more sustainable…

Accountants have an important role to play in helping companies embed sustainability into their corporate strategies. One way the Accountancy industry has begun helping businesses around the world create a more resilient growth for the economy is by reporting on a company’s sustainability efforts and results. This may include everything from their use of clean technology to energy savings and water consumption, from their local habitat protection efforts to their involvement in local community issues.

This is vital for every business to include in annual reports to showcase their corporate social responsibility and by accountancy firms assisting on the measuring of these factors, businesses will be able to plan and adapt their structure based.

Learn more about how accountancy firms are doing their bit for the environment and join ICAEW on Thursday 21^st April!

Why we should all start now!

The environmental challenges we are sometimes face with can sometimes feel so enormous that it is hard to know where to start. But if each and every one of us starts to make smart actions, investments and choices, we will be able to a future which is brighter, safer and smarter.