Water retailer commits to cut carbon emissions by 20%

Water retailer Business Stream has pledged to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% over the next 12 months by introducing a series of measures designed to deliver efficiencies.

The Edinburgh-based business will introduce measures including a review of its vehicle fleet, adapting its paper use and printing processes, re-evaluating its business travel policy and working with its contractors to ensure they are taking steps to limit their emissions.

In addition, Business Stream will aim to maintain, where possible, some of the reductions that have been achieved naturally during lockdown.

This new pledge is part of a larger ambition announced by its parent company, Scottish Water, for the group to become net-zero by 2040, five years ahead of the Scottish Government’s target.

The water retailer has also committed to working in partnership with Scottish Water to deliver a large tree planting programme to help lock away carbon dioxide. A scoping exercise to identify suitable sites around Scotland is currently underway.

‘Our business is committed to making a positive difference to the environment,’ said chief executive, Jo Dow.

‘Our new carbon reduction pledge demonstrates that we’re doing more than simply talking about net-zero, we’re pro-actively taking steps to significantly reduce our environmental impact. We know it’s an ambitious target but we have a responsibility to our customers, our people and the communities we operate within to play our part in helping to protect the planet.’

Earlier this year Jo Dow was appointed chair of business in the Community Scotland’s Climate Action Group.

The Group will be tasked with finding practical ways to help businesses across Scotland reduce their carbon emissions, helping to accelerate the journey to net-zero in the run up to and beyond the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, taking place in Glasgow this year.

To date, Business Stream has helped its customers save more than £272m in discounts and water and energy efficiencies. As passionate advocates of water efficiency, the retailer has also helped its customers save over 49 billion litres of water – the equivalent of nearly 20,000 Olympic-sized filled swimming pools.

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