UK businesses lack motivation to go green

Adressing the environmental impact of organisations a low priority for UK managers

With the great, the good and the powerful gathering in Copenhagen to discuss climate change, emission targets and the low-carbon economy are at the forefront of public consciousness.  However, worrying new figures from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) reveal that the same cannot be said for UK organisations and their managers, a mere 16 per cent of whom intend to make addressing the environmental impact of their organisation a priority for 2010*.

This news comes just months after CMI first called on managers to do their bit to tackle climate change.. Lean and Green, a report carried out in partnership with the Institution for Engineering and Technology, showed that more than two thirds of managers (69 per cent) recognise that the low carbon agenda is a key business issue, but just 26 per cent of organisations were taking any action.

In terms of embracing the green agenda, those at director and senior management-level appear to be thwarting the enthusiasm of junior and young managers, through a lack of leadership on the issue.  More than half of directors (54 per cent) were identified as ‘climate change cynics’.

To encourage managers to take up the low carbon challenge, CMI is calling for all UK organisations to have a green team in place and active, by 5 June 2010 – World Environment Day.  These teams will be fuelled by the enthusiasm of younger staff, but led from the top, so everyone plays a part in creating a carbon-conscious culture across their organisation.

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of CMI, said, “We are shocked to find that such a meagre number of business leaders are committed to addressing their organisation’s environmental impact in 2010.  This should be a new year’s resolution for us all – both in our professional and personal lives.  It’s frustrating that despite widespread recognition that green management is so important, so few people have resolved to do more.

“On the eve of the Copenhagen summit, we are determined, as the voice of the UK’s managers and leaders, to encourage and support them in ensuring their businesses are doing all they can to minimise the environmental impact of their operations. What some organisations fail to realise is that the cost savings associated with going green can be immense. The clock is ticking and there are now only six months left before World Environment Day. I urge all UK businesses to get involved and ensure your green team is in place before then.”

The Lean and Green report includes other practical recommendations to encourage organisations to play their part in cutting carbon emissions, such as integrating environmental issues into mainstream business activities and adopting meaningful measures of environmental performance.

Nigel Fine, Chief Executive of the IET said, “It is disappointing that so few companies and managers have climate change on their agenda.  The agreements made in Copenhagen must translate into actions and this is where we all have a responsibility in reducing our carbon footprint and realising the benefits of good carbon management.

“Engineers have a clear role in both developing carbon reduction technologies and in implementing them in their organisations.  Many of our 150,000 members are managers who will be facing both regulatory and competitive pressures to reduce their carbon footprint and it will be critical that they understand the issues, challenges and opportunities.

“We hope that the engineering profession will take note of the messages contained in the report and follow the example of the case studies to realise the benefits of good carbon management.”

The CMI is dedicated to helping UK organisations reduce their carbon footprint. With this in mind, the CMI offers advice for managers on how to tackle green issues in the workplace and access to professional guidance and consultancy on environmental management.

For more information and guidance on how your organisation can reduce its environmental impact, visit www.managers.org.uk/gogreen.

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*Taken from the CMI’s annual end of year survey, November 2009

Further information:
Mike Petrook / Jo Bowles, CMI Press Office
Tel: 020 7497 0496; outside office hours: 07931 302 877
Email: press.office@managers.org.uk

Chartered Management Institute
Press Office
3rd Floor, 2 Savoy Court
London WC2R 0EZ

NOTES TO EDITORS
• The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards of management and leadership excellence.  CMI is the guardian of the National Occupational Standards for Management and Leadership and sets the standards that others follow

• As a membership organisation, CMI has been providing forward-thinking advice and support to individuals and businesses, for more than 50 years, and continues to give managers and leaders, and the organisations they work in, the tools they need to improve their performance and make an impact

• As the only organisation to offer qualifications from Level 2 (GCSE) to Level 9 (PhD), CMI is committed to equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge to be exceptional managers and leaders.  Qualifications and accreditations such as Chartered Manager, combined with products such as CMI’s Continuous Professional Development scheme and the online support resource, ManagementDirect, support the development of management and leadership excellence across the UK

• Through in-depth research and policy surveys of its 81,000 individual and 450 corporate members, CMI maintains its position as the premier authority on key management and leadership issues