Businesses are ‘reframing’ how they communicate their net zero action amid climate change scepticism over the last year in the media and among politicians, a survey has found.

The survey of business leaders by sustainability organisation BSI found that firms remain committed to tackling climate change.

Almost four in five say they will continue to pursue net zero policies as “it is good for business” and over three in four say this commitment is being driven by customer and client expectation.

Also, four in five believe that economic growth and decarbonization are compatible and a similar proportion believe net zero commitments will help grow economies, create jobs, strengthen energy security and open up new markets and innovation opportunities.

But three in five “admitted shifting how their business promotes or communicates net zero actions in response to climate scepticism in the media or politics in the last 12 months”.

Climate coding

BSI says that businesses’ change of communication around net zero is part of a wider “climate coding” trend that is seeing climate action reframed around issues such as “resilience, risk management and business continuity, rather than focusing on the environmental impact”.

The survey also found businesses leaders are “taking a long-term pragmatic view” around climate action, with just under four in five anticipating that net zero “will be a political priority again in the next decade, even it if is not one today for all parties”.

“Recent geopolitical events have brought into stark focus the need for energy security and the important role played by renewable and low carbon energy,” said BSI chief executive Susan Taylor Martin.

“They have also shown the importance of adopting a resilience mindset when it comes to climate change, focusing on risk mitigation, supply chain management and future preparedness.

“What’s clear is that many business leaders are already thinking this way, and have recognised that the cost of not investing in net zero could threaten their operations in the long term.

“The next step is to bridge the gap between ambition and action through climate risk adaptation measures.”

The survey was carried out in February this year among more than 7,000 business leaders across the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan.

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