Each year I take a break to detox and relax in Austria. I love the long train journey from Vienna to my destination and back. I always have a health or fitness goal in mind for each visit, but I use the train journey to reflect on my challenges and achievements since my last visit as I look out of the window and appreciate the absolutely beautiful landscapes we go through. The journey is just as important to me as what I will do when I arrive at my destination. It puts me i

Over the last few months, we have given suggestions on practical and low-cost actions SMEs can take to minimise their carbon footprint. It’s so important for us to say and emphasise to you, as business owners and leaders, that this journey cannot and should not be walked alone. The most important companions are your employees. The key to creating a thriving and sustainable company is to get all employees – from the C-Suite through to the factory floor and reception desk – en

Here we are in 2023. We have 27 years left to achieve the Net Zero carbon emissions target. Will we get there? In our previous articles on a pathway to carbon reduction for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), we talked about: why it’s important for SMEs around the world to be as involved as large enterprises in carbon reduction; how SMEs can measure their carbon footprint and set carbon reduction targets; and the role African SMEs should play in carbon reduction as the

A recent survey by Lloyds Bank found that 77% of small businesses do not have a plan to reduce their carbon footprint. This is not because #SMEs don’t see the importance of dealing with the adverse impacts of #climatechange. Far from it. As our dear friend Freda Obeng-Ampofo of KAEMA said “I see the incorporation of #ESG practices as an opportunity for small businesses to shine. I see it from the lens of stewardship. How am I intentionally incorporating ESG [practices] into

Have you ever opened Google and wondered what exactly they mean when they say they have been “carbon neutral since 2007”? Or what Amazon really means when they commit to being Net Zero by 2040? If the answer is yes, then you’re not alone. Research shows that 89% of people in the UK have heard of Net Zero but only 14% claim to have “a lot” of knowledge about the concept. So, what does Net Zero actually mean? Why is Net Zero important for small and medium sized enterprises (SME