A mentoring programme from Grosvenor Property UK is helping SMEs in its supply chain reduce their carbon emissions.
The programme, delivered by London-based environment charity Heart of the City, is helping 28 suppliers achieve validation on the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
SBTi provides a defined path for businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals.
Grosvenor said the SMEs will gain validation on the SBTi in the next few months. Their efforts combined will result in a reduction of 65,000 tonnes of carbon by 2030, it added.
Sustainability programme director Victoria Herring said: “Transformative partnerships are a key part of our own net zero ambition. And, as a critical part of our supply chain we created this programme to help SMEs on their journey but also to support them in remaining competitive with clients.”
Grosvenor gained SBTi validation in 2021, and has pledged to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040. Off the back of this experience the company created the eight-month programme to help other businesses set an SBTi.
The initiative will increase the number of SMEs with Science Based Targets by 20%. Some small businesses within the company’s supply chain already have SBTs, or are working towards it independently.
Supply chain engagement
Grosvenor’s programme is open to supply chain companies with less than 500 employees. It helps them calculate their baseline, set an action plan, and submit it to the SBTi. Companies taking part so far include architects, building surveyors and contractors, security, recruitment, construction and maintenance firms.
Director of Heart of the City, Maggie Berry OBE, said: “We know that net zero isn’t an easy topic for SMEs – they have limited resources to dedicate to sustainability and are facing many current business challenges.
“But we also know that SMEs are fundamental to the UK’s economy and as a country – we won’t reach net zero unless all businesses can make changes.”
Head of sustainability at architect Buckley Gray Yeoman, Rachael Owens, said Grosvenor’s support helped it to “accelerate the rate at which we’ve scoped our emissions and put targets in place”.
She added: “Science Based Targets are essential in holding ourselves and each other to account and are fundamental to giving practices like ours that ‘north star’ to guide our decision making.”
