Collaboration and shared learning is key to delivering net zero, which is why we’re excited to once again sponsor and attend the Climate Change Summit. Sharing climate-related successes, challenges and opportunities across the region is vital to ensure we innovate and develop, while making Yorkshire one of the most attractive in the UK for investment.
Mark Wilson, Sustainability Manager, Zenith
Supporting the Yorkshire Post Climate Change Summit
October sees the return of the Yorkshire Post Climate Change Summit – a key date for Yorkshire businesses as we work towards a net zero region. Events like this act as a catalyst, giving us the opportunity to learn from each other, discuss the challenges industries face, and ultimately collaborate to ensure Yorkshire and the UK achieves its carbon reduction targets.
At Zenith, we’re proud to be headline sponsors for the second consecutive year. As the UK’s leading independent vehicle leasing and fleet management provider, we understand the impact our sector has on the environment. According to latest figures, transport is the UK’s largest carbon emitting sector accounting for an estimated 29.1% (111.6MtCO2e) of total UK emissions in 2023. However, the sector is working hard to reverse this and is overseeing a once-in-a-lifetime transition away from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles towards alternative fuels, such as electric.
At the end of Zenith’s last financial year, 41% (25,000 vehicles) of our Corporate and Consumer funded fleet was battery electric vehicles – a move which avoided 76,269tCO2e of carbon emissions during the 12 months up to the end of March 2024. However, our work doesn’t stop there, as can be seen in our People Powered Impact Plan which we launched in Spring 2024. This sets out our commitments to build a secure and sustainable future for generations to come by addressing environmental and social challenges.
While many sectors have started their net zero journey, the path to success is complex. There is a constant flow of new regulations and requirements to navigate, combined with the need for innovation to decarbonise our existing ways of working. There is only so much we can learn and change in isolation and it’s important that no business is left behind. But with almost 25% of UK businesses still not having net zero targets, how can we ensure we’re all making progress?
Firstly, innovation is key. Using the automotive industry as an example, for a company like Zenith to reduce carbon emissions our suppliers must decarbonise their goods and services to ensure that we achieve our own net zero target – emphasising the need for collaboration between companies. One way we’ve addressed this is through a partnership with Doncaster-based Synetiq – a leading vehicle salvage and green parts company – who are providing us with recycled parts to service and maintain our vehicles, reducing our need to use new parts for vehicle servicing and maintenance..
Secondly, all industries need legislation that promotes the transition to a net zero economy. In 2022, the government set favourable benefit in kind rates for electric vehicles, which ramped up EVs within the corporate company car market, moving drivers away from high-emitting cars. While more can be done in the automotive world – especially around infrastructure and charging – legislation and regulation across all industries must support and incentivise individuals, companies and industries to make sustainable choices.
Finally, companies must focus on awareness and education for their customers. To put it simply, if consumers aren’t aware of the benefits of switching to an environmentally better solution, then they won’t. This awareness needs to focus on how lower-emitting products have additional benefits alongside their carbon reduction, such as better affordability, ease of use, or a general quality of life improvement.
The event gives us the chance to ensure momentum maintains. The road to net zero is a collaborative effort, and it’s up to us all to contribute, discuss, and learn from each other to accelerate our own journeys.
The article was featured in the Yorkshire Post on Tuesday 24th September.
