Beyond Net Zero: A Journey Towards Net Positive Impact
Imagine being more than just ‘net zero.‘
Over the decades as the concept of sustainability has become more popular in mainstream discourse, we have seen several key terminologies take shape.
In recent years the concept of ‘Net-Zero’ has become a popular methodology that organisations have employed to implement an active sustainability approach. What is Net-Zero exactly? Net-Zero is an approach which attempts to negate the negative consequences of climate change by actively reducing the number of emissions realised into the atmosphere.
Net-Zero is an important approach that is helping organisations and countries alike align their sustainability objectives with realistic and measurable targets. However, as the consequences of climate change become more dire, it is clear that we need to be doing more.
Imagine as an organisation going beyond ‘Net-Zero’, thinking not just about striking a balance between how much we emit and how much we reduce, but looking at ways we can actively contribute to improving the environment and society. ‘Net Positive’ frameworks, allow us to consider actions we can take to not only to avoid harming the environment or community but to actively finding ways to enhances them.
The Way Forward
What is some key actions organisation can do to do better from an ecological, but also social perspective?
GOING GREEN
With the green sector organisations need to be looking key areas such as:
- Renewable Energy: How are your operations powered? In what why can you implement sustainable energy sources in your office, in your factories? Are your actively choosing suppliers that also make smart choices? Investing in solar or wind energy to power your business operations can help to reduce your carbon emission significancy.
- Waste Reduction: Businesses are huge offenders of waste production. It has been reported that only 22 of the world largest businesses are responsible for about 55% of the world’s plastic waste. For businesses it is essential to implement waste reduction and recycling programs, to adopt recyclable materials, and to minimise excessive packaging.
- Water Conversation: It is estimated that globally the world wastes around 3 trillion gallons of water. This number is shocking, but it is hardly surprising considering common relaxed attitudes around water consumption. How can businesses ensure that water is conserved as much as possible within their operations? Deploying water-saving technologies and investing in water resource conservation projects in local communities is a key step for organisation to start to address this issue.
- Reforestation: What about the broader impact? How can businesses do more to support the local lands they inhabit and the communities they impact? Reforestation projects are a key way organisations can contribute to biodiversity conservation and atmospheric carbon capture. Whether it’s a reforestation project led by the organisation or whether they look to contribute to external projects, these initiatives can play a vital role in fostering environmental sustainability.
SOCIAL SECTORS
When we think about the concept of Net-Zero we think about it from the perspective of ecological sustainability. However, through Net-Positive framework we can go behind this thinking to consider how social sustainability, along with the ecological sustainability, is important to us as organisations.
With the social sector organisations need to be looking key areas such as:
- Training and education: To help support the local communities in which they are a part of organisations can consider ways they can create training programs for local communities, helping to upskills its people and to provide opportunities to enhance employability.
- Health and Well-being: Supporting healthcare projects in communities, helps to provide access to medical care, medications, and preventive programs, to people that are in need.
- Economic Empowerment: Partnering with local organisations to support small businesses and female entrepreneurship through funding and training, helps to support the economic development of the communities and region in which organisations engages in.
- Reduction of Disparities: Gender and race disparities continue to remain rife within the workplace, it is critical for organisations to actively adopting inclusive policies and equal pay initiatives that help to eliminate gaps between people.
- Mental Health: Burnout is the raise. As workers continue to experience rates of burnout like never before, it is clear that organisations need to be doing more to provide access to counselling and resources to help employees manage stress and improve mental well-being.
- Social Innovation: Over the last couple of decades, innovation has become a concept ingrained in the highest-performing organisations around the world. In recent years, organisations and institutes have begun to understand how innovation can be applied in social settings to drive social progress. To promote social innovation, organisations can invest in social startups and initiatives, as well as fund sustainable technology and innovative solutions to address specific community issues such as poverty, education, and resource access.
It’s time to move beyond neutrality and embrace a journey towards becoming ‘Net Positive.’ Let’s forge a future where every business action not only avoids harm but actively contributes to making our world a better place.