New online business launch for UK SMEs to get to zero carbon

A technology startup aims to help businesses all over the UK achieve carbon neutrality with ease.

CBN Expert has been founded by Cheshire-based James Napier to enable SMEs to make a full commitment to lowering emissions, in order to fully participate in the low carbon economy.

The website is a free online community providing insights on all things carbon & sustainability, for sharing ideas, questions and best practice and giving access to a network of expert partners. The community is supported by CBN Expert’s proprietary CBN Dashboard, an innovative, easy to use online tool which allows SMEs to easily calculate their carbon footprint, break it down and take action to achieve long term reductions and communicate this to their stakeholders.

James has a wealth of experience in the sustainability sector, having worked for Honeywell and led Virtual Power Solutions, a software business supporting the transition to flexible energy. He has advised large & small companies on issues including energy efficiency, energy generation, network management and carbon emissions reporting and has contributed to UK Government policy on clean energy.

Says James: “Companies of all sizes need to demonstrate their commitment to being more sustainable in order to be responsible to the planet in the first instance – but also to compete successfully on tenders, appeal to new employees and clients and achieve funding and business support access. Being low or zero carbon is very quickly becoming a requirement to do business rather than a choice.

“The challenge is that while there are a number of tools created for larger organisations, SMEs and startups simply do not have the time, budget or capability to measure or report on their carbon footprint, meaning they are potentially missing out on growth opportunities, as the wider supply chain increasingly demands low carbon goods & services.”

Access to the CBN Dashboard costs from £15 +vat per month and takes around five minutes a month to complete.

The time to act James advises is now; as Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England says: “Companies that don’t adapt will go bankrupt without question.”

Global leaders are prioritising sustainability before the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference next year, which will be seeking to further the international commitment to limit global temperature rises. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) runs Race to Zero initiative, which encourages and enables organisations, companies and individuals to measure, reduce and offset their emissions direct with UN-certified climate credits. This is part of The UN’s target to be climate neutral by 2020, spearheaded by former Secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

James knows that for many SMEs, the challenge can feel overwhelming. “This is why we’ve created a community just for SMEs. To provide insight & support that enables them to fully commit to low carbon, embed it within their business model and provide a strong, net zero carbon future with a firm commitment in a way that’s right for them,” he concludes. “SMEs make up the bulk of the economy so their contribution to tackling climate change is critical. Our site will help them tackle climate change like large corporates and ensure they can fully compete in a low carbon world.”