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West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge

West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge

Purpose of this document

This document is intended to enable you to complete your pledge response.

Once you have filled out the pledge form, please email it to: nathaniel.weaver@swm.org.uk

The Pledge was established by West Midlands Combined Authority, in partnership with Sustainability West Midlands. It was developed in collaboration with:

  • BT
  • Make UK
  • FSB
  • Severn Trent
  • Coventry City Council
  • Sustainability West Midlands
  • Wylde connections
  • Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
  • University of Birmingham
  • Lloyds Banking Group
  • Centre for Responsible Business
  • Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
  • Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce

The West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge

There are 4 parts to completing the pledge

  1. Become an ambassador
  2. Working with others
  3. Committing to reducing your carbon footprint
  4. Share your business challenges in relation to this pledge

On the document please give us these details

  • Name your organisation
  • What size is your organisation in terms of employees

  • How did you hear about the WMCA Net Zero Business Pledge

  • Contact name
  • Job title
  • Email address
  • Telephone
  • Registered address
  • Postcode
  • Sector
  • Organisation website
  • Linkedin Handle - if applicable
  • Twitter Handle - if applicable
  • Are you paying the Real Living Wage to employees - write yes or no.

Then we want you to show your commitment to reducing your carbon emissions.

We want to show leadership in support of the Government’s national ambitions for achieving net zero carbon in the UK by 2050 and have set the West Midlands a target to do this by 2041. Your pledge as part of this commitment will help to reduce the carbon emissions generated by your organisation and will contribute to the regional target. This can result in cost savings and give you a competitive advantage. Support and grants are also available to help make these changes easier from the WMCA supported the Sustainable Business Support Hub.

How far has your organisation progressed in terms of carbon reduction (please select one)

  • Beginner - this is our first step
  • Intermediate - we have made a few changes to reduce emissions
  • Advanced - we are well on our way to taking action

Next please provide any web links to reports, plans or strategies, that evidence your progress to date (if available) on your form.

Next please give details of any carbon reduction targets you have already committed to (if applicable) on your form.

We have provided some suggestions for how you can reduce your carbon emissions. These are intended as starting points, so you don’t need to do each one to fulfil the pledge.

Please mention all that apply and provide any details below each section on the form.

Assessing your current emissions and developing a plan to reduce them

 Adopting and publishing an Environmental Policy to capture your goals

 Establishing an Environmental Management System (EMS) to monitor your progress

Obtaining a formal certification for your EMS

Raising awareness of environmental business issues amongst staff, e.g. through carbon literacy training

Adopt a sustainable procurement policy

Addressing any risks of pollution across your business

Managing environmental risks

Next please share more details of what you are doing in terms of management.

Regarding transport, please share these on your form.

Encouraging alternatives to car use

Promoting walking and cycling

Upgrading your transport fleet to low emission vehicles

Please share more detail of what you are doing on transport

Next we move onto energy management. Please again share what you intend to do from the following options.

Consider switching to a green energy supplier

Monitor utility use to identify areas for savings

Installing lighting, heating and cooling controls to save energy

Insulation to reduce the need for heating and cooling

Next please share more detail of what you are doing on energy use

In relation to the natural environment, can you say if you are: 

Planting trees or hedges in your grounds or community

Harvesting rainwater or grey water to use on-site

Creating wildlife habitats on your grounds, e.g. a pond, bird feeder, wild patches of grass

Please share more detail of what you are doing on natural environment or water management

In relation to resource use, can you say if you are: 

Reviewing operations to reduce the use of raw materials

Avoiding single use items

Having an active approach to waste monitoring and reduction

Please share more detail of what you are doing on resources

If your business has specific waste materials or products that could be put to good use by others then please add these into the form.

Next please add any other actions your organisation is carrying out to reduce carbon emissions

Annual Review

As part of the Net Zero Business Pledge we will carry out an annual review to assess progress against your commitments.  Please confirm that you are happy for us to contact you to see how you are progressing *

Working with others

Please tell us if you have any existing collaborations where your business is working with others to achieve better environmental outcomes.

If you're not currently working with others, there are many ways that you can start to collaborate. You can find further information about networks and support organisations from the Sustainability West Midlands Business Support Hub

Include any suppliers, networks and contacts. You can also include collaborations you would like to put in place that would help you to fulfil your pledge.

Become an ambassador

By acting as an ambassador you can inspire your customers, staff, and suppliers to make changes too.

Tell us about your business and what you hope to achieve from the actions you will take. If you have already started your carbon reduction journey then please tell us what benefits you’ve found to inspire others.

(Share your thoughts in 150-300 words)

Please tell us how you will champion this pledge and let us know if there is any support you need to assist you in this role.

Please send us your logo and an image that reflects your business operation

Please confirm you are happy for your logo, image and case study to be used in connection with promoting your pledge

  Yes. Happy for the logo, image and case study to be used as part of promotional activity

  Please contact us to discuss the use of the logo, image and case study

  No. Not happy for the logo, image and case study to be used as part of promotional activity

Sharing your business challenges

If you need support there is plenty available via regional and local green business networks. Tell us about your business challenges for net zero.